Longshanks and the Blue Maiden
by Darkina
Summary: CHAPTER 23 UP Have you ever loved someone you've never seen? Someone that you've only admired through thoughts and mysteries of the mind, sickness of the subconcious? And what if you were the future of the English Monarchy? VB Medieval AU
1. Chapter 1: Blythe

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden   
  
Author's Note: This story is completely is based on a certain couple in the Middle Ages. I'm not going to tell you, yet, but I believe if you're anywhere near smart, you'll be able to figure it out in this chapter. The story is very accurate of this man's life (I've done quite a bit of research, thank you), and I believe you'll find it interesting. I don't own Dragon Ball Z either, but hey, it'd be nice if I did.   
  
Chapter 1: Blyth   
  
"Is father coming?" Vegeta asked his most trusted companion, Henry, with a gruff and annoyed sound in his voice. He was almost 17, and tired of this stupid nonsense of his father never seeing him do anything. He had trained with Hugh Giffard, one of his family's most trusted nobleman, for 10 years before even picking up a lance. He had trained and trained for years for this, and he wanted to show his father that he was worth of the crown.  
  
"I am displeased to say, my Lord, that his majesty Henry the III is not coming this afternoon. I know how much this means to you, my Prince, but your father is in Havering trying to sort out some political problems." Henry replied, watching Vegeta as he frowned, thinking to himself.   
  
"You are the most fitted person to win this tournament, and it was specially arranged for you, you know that. Her highness Eleanor has known that you've been waiting for this for months, and I'm sorry that your father is not here." Henry added, hoisting up Vegeta's lance up to his hand.   
  
Vegeta sighed, pulling down his face mask of his armor. He'd been waiting for this for so long, too long if you asked anyone else. But Vegeta was different, he had been seeking his father's approval his whole life. The only real time he had ever spent with his father was the first time he stepped onto the battlefield of England. His father was a battle-hardened man who had never really spent any time with Vegeta's mother, Eleanor of Province.   
  
Vegeta then suddenly relieved that the white flag barrier was in the middle of the field, watching him and waiting for his signal of approval. His right hand went up and made a fist, banging to the center of his armor, showing a respectful sign of dignity for the match to begin. His flag rose, a red snake in the middle of a black pool of darkness, ready for the match to begin.   
  
The white flag barrier moved, his flag raising and Vegeta kicked his horse, and it charged. Vegeta's arm stayed steady as he hit the head of his opponent, Sir William Thacter, causing him to fall off his horse. He had one the tournament of Blythe, unharmed, and with nothing to show for it but a bag full of gold. What honor was there in that? 


	2. Chapter 2: Arguements

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Well, this is Chapter 2. I think that really the first chapter was like, an intro to the story. This is where you get to figure out a little bit more about the world that Vegeta lives in. It's kinda strange, but hey. Have fun reading!  
  
Chapter 2: Arguments   
  
Vegeta sat at his desk, looking out his window. His father was to be coming home today, with the arrival of an "important issue" to be discussed with him. Vegeta rolled his eyes, knowing that the stupid thing was about either politics or war. It always was, and it always probably would be.   
  
He felt a tug at his sleeve, looking down to see his little sister, Gretta.   
  
"What do you want?" Vegeta said in an annoyed, but somewhat affectionate tone. The little girl was the last of his 6 siblings, she was only 4.   
  
"Elly won't let me play with her doll! She doesn't even play with it anymore, it's not fair!" Gretta said, her lips pouting. Vegeta couldn't help but put a small smile on his lips. He was always mediating between his sisters. Elly was 6, and she was actually quite a fierce little girl. Selfish and proud. 'Just like father...' Vegeta thought to himself.  
  
"Why don't you and I go talk to your sister, shall we?" Vegeta said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it lightly. Gretta grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling. Her older brother was always her favorite, he liked her more than her brother and sisters. She led him through the castle walls that she'd grown in, down to the children's wing. Vegeta longed to be here on more than one occasion, but his pride kept his father's wishes. He didn't want to ever defy his father, he had an fierce temper when it came to disobedience. And he wasn't home enough to even have anything to argue about that anyways.  
  
He stepped into the little girl's room, Elly sitting and looking out her window, a picture book of princesses and princes. He remembered when Margaret had showed that book to him long ago, it had been through now three daughters of Henry the III. 'How time flies...' Vegeta thought, sighing at his own memories of a child. They weren't near this pleasant. The women of the royal family always got live as close to normal childhoods, while the men we shipped off nearly a month after being born, away from their family's constantly, being trained and educated.  
  
"Now Elly, what did I hear about you not letting Gretta play with your doll?" Vegeta said, in an affectionate but firm voice.   
  
The little girl turned, startled by the fact that her older brother was in her room. She had always looked up to him, he was always strong, but somehow a little bit short. Her father was short as well, but she didn't really see her father that much, and she didn't really understand why.  
  
"It's my doll! Princess Ann doesn't want to play with Gretta, she'll just get it dirty!" Elly said in a whinny, 6 year old voice that she had.   
  
"Well, you know Elly that you haft to share with your little sister Gretta, I'm sure she wouldn't get it dirty, now would you Gretta?" Vegeta said, watching his little sister Gretta shake her head 'no'.  
  
"But what about that one time? When I gave Gretta a cookie and she dropped it on the floor!" Elly said, pouting and folding her arms across her blue dress.   
  
"I didn't mean to! And I didn't even ask you for it!" Gretta said, moving away from Vegeta a little bit. She started scowling at Elly, mad at her older sister. It seemed that she always got what she wanted.  
  
"Now now girls, do you want me to take you to mother? She's sick, remember? I don't want you two to get into trouble, but why don't you guys compromise?" Vegeta said, looking back and forth between the two.  
  
"What does compromise mean?" Gretta said, looking up at her older brother. Elly watched her brother curiously, her face staying the same, but she didn't want to admit that she didn't know. She was the smartest in the family, and she was very proud of that.  
  
"Compromise means that you do something to get what you want, and Elly is okay with that. Like, Elly could let you play with her doll, IF you stayed in her room, or inside." Vegeta said, a small twinkle in his eye. He was always good at solving his sibling's problems.   
  
Gretta looked pleadingly at Elly, accepting that if she could play with her doll.   
  
"Okay, but as long as you stay in my room." Elly said, sighing in defeat.   
  
Gretta moved across the room, getting onto her big sister's bed. She got her doll off of Elly's largest pillow.   
  
Vegeta smiled, turning and leaving Elly's room. He knew that his father would be home very soon, so he walked down the corridor and went down the stairs to the throne room. He heard his oldest little sister, Margaret, arguing with his mother. Vegeta sighed, knowing that they were arguing about who Margaret was to wed. Margaret was always picky, but he didn't want her to be THIS picky. No one did.  
  
"But Mother! I don't WANT to marry the prince of France, they're idiots over there! They don't have very much land either, so why in the world would I even HAFT to marry that fool?" Margaret yelled, her hands on her hips as she came into view. Vegeta smirked to himself, Margaret could be such a bitch sometimes.  
  
"Because you know that war is expensive, and that Louis the VI is willing to give quite a bit of money if you marry him! You could live better than you do here, and you know that he's a nice man. And he's only 3 years older than you! I don't know how much better I can get, Margaret." His Mother stated, frowning at her eldest daughter. They seemed to be both oblivious to Vegeta being in the throne room.  
  
"He is a good man, Margaret. He'd treat you well, and you know that. Why don't you just do what father pleases for you to do?" Vegeta asked, looking as his sister as he put his back to the wall, crossing his arms.   
  
"Because I don't want to marry a french man! I want to marry a man that I want to marry WHEN I WANT TO MARRY HIM!" Margaret yelled, fuming at Vegeta, seeming to take out her anger on him, instead of their mother.  
  
"That is QUITE enough, Margaret." Vegeta's Mother stated, glaring at her daughter, "You will go to your room now, and the wedding will go on as planned."   
  
Margaret began to say something, but kept her mouth shut. She just glared at her older brother, then leaving the throne room hurriedly.   
  
"She gets her stubborn streak from your Father, you know." Vegeta's mother said simply, sighing to herself.  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't doubt it." Vegeta said, looking at his mother. She was beautiful for a woman her age, a french one at that. She had dark brown hair, and pale skin. Her eyes where the same as Vegeta's, a very strangely dark brown.   
  
"When is father to be home?" Vegeta asked quizzically, but watching his mother rub her forehead between her fingertips.   
  
"He should be here by sunset, Vegeta. I'm not sure why he decieded to come home earlier than planned, but you never know about your Father. Probably to congratulate you on your victory at the Tournament of Blythe, knowing him." She stated, watching her son's reaction. He had been very disappointed when his father hadn't turned up watch him. 'All he wants is his acceptance...and that's the one thing I can't give.' She thought to herself, twirling her hair between her fingertips.   
  
"Yeah, right." Vegeta said, snarling at the reminder of his disappointment in his father. He had never been there for him, and he knew that he probably never would. It didn't even matter, any ways.   
  
"Vegeta, you know that your father is proud of you. He's sent you to the best trainers, given you the best tutors, the best clothing. Everything gold can buy these days." She said, her eyes pleading for Vegeta to cheer up.  
  
"But Mother, it doesn't matter! I went to the tournament 2 months ago, and not even as much as a MESSENGER from him! I had spent YEARS with a lance, and you know how much I love jousting! He just doesn't give a shit about me, that's it." Vegeta said, starting to get pissed off.   
  
His mother sighed, knowing that at least part of that was true. But she'd been thinking for a long, long time if that was all true.   
  
"Vegeta-"   
  
She was interupted by the throne room door opened, and a messenger boy bowed graciously to the Prince and Queen. He knew that if in anyway that he disrespected them, the King would have his head. Vegeta nodded, rolling his eyes, acknowledging him, and the messenger walked up to the queen, bowing his head for a moment.  
  
"The King has arrived, Your Majesty. He will be here in a moment." He said quietly, backing away from the throne as he was done delivering his message.   
  
"You are permitted to leave now." Vegeta said, without a drip of emotion in his voice. He was only kind or really any kind of emotion to people he loved and trusted, and servants he did not. The boy left quickly, the doors closing behind him.  
  
"You could be a little bit more polite, Vegeta." His mother said, her eyebrow going up and looking him straight in the eye.  
  
"He's nothing more than a servant, so why even bother?" Vegeta said, looking into his mother's eyes, emotionless.  
  
"I'm going to my chambers now, when Father is prepared to speak to me, please send Sybil to my room." Vegeta said, walking out of the throne room, disappearing into the shadows of the cold and dark castle that was his home. 


	3. Chapter 3: Proposal

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Vegeta sat on his bed, studying the map of Scotland. His father was always in political matters with this rival country, and he knew that it would be a matter of time before his army would go to war. He was startled slightly as there was a knock at his door.   
  
"Your highness?" a feminine voice said behind the door, knocking lightly. He smiled to himself as he knew who it was, Sybil, his guardian and care-taker ever since he was a child.  
  
"You may Enter, Sybil." Vegeta said emotionlessly, but silently excited about seeing his favorite woman again, besides his mother, that is.  
  
Sybil slowly entered the door to his chamber, smiling as her eyes went to him. She was elderly now, but she was still fascinated by the fact that once the man before her was an infant. She snapped out of her trance, looking at him.  
  
"The King has requested your presence in the throne room, Prince Vegeta." She said quietly, bowing her head in respect for the man that would be King of England soon, and she could tell that his reign would be a great one for England.  
  
"Thank you Sybil, now if you could, I just want you to do a favor for me." Vegeta said, smiling lightly as Sybil stared at him, knowing that she was like a second mother to him.  
  
"Anything, my Prince." Sybil said, watching Vegeta intently. 'No matter how much I love that boy, I still am a servant.'   
  
"Please notify Henry that I would like a messenger to James that I will send him 5 horses." Vegeta said, getting up from his bed and blowing out the candle that had provided him light for the past hour.   
  
She looked at him curiously, but knowing to never question orders, stated simply, "Yes, my Lord."   
  
Vegeta moved out of his room, knowing Sybil that she would be spending the next hour or so tiding up his room, she was always somewhat of a perfectionist. He walked down the corridors, knowing that he probably could find his way through the castle with his eyes closed, sick and with John on his back. Vegeta chuckled as he thought about his energetic little brother. He was just a little eccentric, everyone knew that. But, most 10-year-old children are.  
  
The throne room doors were manned by guards, but they always were when the King was present. Since it seemed that England was constantly at war, the threat of assassinations were always present. His mother had been poisoned at least 3 times, and he didn't even know how many men were arrested for treason for attempted assassinations. It was insane all the shit that was in his family's castle.  
  
The throne room doors were opened, obviously they had seen the resemblence between his father and himself. It was striking how much they looked alike, but no matter came about to it. It always was true that he had born a resemblence to the King of England, but their personality's were very unique from eachother's.  
  
Vegeta walked in and stood before his father, eager to know what the hell this was all about. 'Yeah, right' he thought to himself as his father's eyes were bestowed upon him.  
  
"Vegeta, there you are my son. You seem to have grown stronger." His father said smoothly and almost coldly, but there wasn't any difference between the way he spoke about anything. He was like a rock, never changing, without great force and effort.  
  
"Well, obviously. I should've, since I won the Tournament of Blythe." Vegeta said sarcastically and coldly, and it was very noticeable that how very pissed off at his father he was. His father raised his brow, looking into his eyes coldly, the evidence of death and misery in his own.   
  
"Well, onto another matter. You're marriage, of course, is very overdue. You know that it's a matter of time that I will be leaving this earth, Vegeta, so I believe it's time to know who the woman you've been to engaged to all of your life." His father said silky, his eyes never leaving his son.  
  
Vegeta looked at his father, shocked. He was engaged to someone? He'd never been notified about this! He knew that as the Prince of England that it was just custom to be married between the ages of 15-20, but when did this occur?  
  
"All of my life? When did this occur? Who is the woman that I am to be married to? How old is she?" Vegeta started spitting out questions like wildfire, his eyes wide and just waiting for answers. This was insane! The king raised his hand, silencing his eager son.   
  
"You are to be married to Bulma of Castile, and she is 16. She's a very culturally developed woman who will be a suitable wife for a future King." His father said, smoothly, just sitting in his throne.  
  
Vegeta stood there, comprehending all that was happening around him. He was to be married, to Bulma of Castile? But Castile was a province of Spain! Why would his father be telling his daughter to be marrying the King and his heir to marry a duchess?   
  
"But Father, I understand land is a part of the relationship between marriages, but what good will come from sending Margaret to marry Fernando the VI and myself to marry Bulma of Castile?" Vegeta said, confused at his Father's odd logic.  
  
"You know that it has been a royal secret for years that I've been trying to get enough money to launch a war with those damned Scotts, and by this way England can finally get enough gold to overthrow those bastards." He stated slowly, watching him like a hawk.  
  
Vegeta just stood there, shocked. He didn't know what to do, or what to say. What DO you say exactly right after you find out that you're going to be married to one of the richest women in the world?   
  
"Is she allowing this marriage to occur?" Vegeta said, stupidly, knowing what the answer was right after he said it.  
  
"She doesn't have a choice, son. Men are only allow to not accept marriage proposals, you know that." His father stated, looking at his son with puzzlement. He had grown up a royal, he knew that. He saw his look of confusion and anger, trying to sooth and comfort his son for the first time.  
  
"When I found out that I was to marry your Mother, I was shocked. There was no way that I was going to marry a french woman, but then I came to love her. You will come to love Bulma of Castile, my son, believe me." He said, watching his look of shock deepen as his son heard those words, his father had never shown any type of compassion before to him.  
  
"Now son, you should go to your chambers. You will be leaving tomorrow to visit Woodstock with myself, it's about time that you fought some battles with your Father."  
  
Vegeta just walked out of the throne room silently, going down the corridors to the kitchen, Alice was cooking as usual, and she watched the prince enter. Herself and the Prince had been friends ever since he was born, and she always had a batch of sugar cookies for the prince to eat. She was like a companion for the Prince, all the secrets that he spilled to her over the years.  
  
"My Prince, what is wrong?" Alice said, with a hint of concern in her voice, watching the prince eat his cookie thoughtfully, staring at the counter.  
  
"I believe that even you can't help me with this problem, Alice." He stated simply, walking out of the kitchen, wandering the castle's dark halls. 


	4. Chapter 4: Talking

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Okay, so this may be a kinda sorta short chapter, but hey, you can get over that. I wrote this while I was talking to an amazing guy, and so I was a bit distracted. =P Oh well, on with the story!   
  
Chapter 4: Talking   
  
Vegeta lay in bed that night, wondering what Bulma of Castile would look like. He had no idea, and neither did anyone else in his family. She was undoubtably beautiful, the Spanish had always been. It was just, insane that he had been engaged all his life to a woman he'd never even seen. Sure, he'd heard of her, her family ruled over a third of Spain. Her father was a very high political figure, and very close with his father.   
  
The Spanish and English had over recent years became allies, very dependant on another's trade to keep their fortune's going. The Spanish King, Fernando the VI, wasn't a very big war King. He left that to the English, and his father, Henry the III, was fine with that. As long as the royal treasuries were full and collecting more, the Spanish just sat there.   
  
"What does she look like...?" Vegeta mumbled before he drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a mysterious woman.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta groaned, looking out the window.   
  
  
"Sunrise already?" He grumbled, putting his head under his blood red sheets. He wanted to sleep in.  
  
"Prince Vegeta! You need to get dressed, sir, you're father is leaving in an hour for Woodstock!" A servant yelled outside of his door, but still in a very respectful voice.  
  
He glared at the door, mumbling to himself as he got out of his huge bed "You better be fucking respectful...", walking over to his dresser and getting out his royal armor. It was only customary and safety precautions for his well-being that made him wear this 60 pound outfit. He sighed, putting the chain male over his head.  
  
Vegeta walked down the corridors and stairs of his family's castle, going out to the stable where his black stallion, Shadow Cray, was kept. He had raised Shadow ever since he was a colt, and he loved him dearly. He opened the doors as the sunrise was first clear over the horizon.   
  
"Good morning, your Highness." Henry said, poking his head out of Lady's stall. Lady was his sisters' mare, and she was the gentlest horse you've ever seen. A bay with black piercing eyes, and Shadow Cray was her first colt.  
  
"Good morning, Henry. How is Lady doing this fine morning?" Vegeta said sarcastically, watching his best friend smooth his hands over the mare's fine body.   
  
"She's doing fine, but I bet that Shadow Cray will be thrilled to see you, you haven't been down to see him in 3 days, your Highness." Henry said, bowing his head lightly. Vegeta watched him, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Henry, you know damn well that I hate it when you address me with such formality. Call me Vegeta, please. You know that." Vegeta said, walking to his stallion's stall.  
  
"Hello Shadow Cray." Vegeta said smoothly, his hand reaching out to stroke his nuzzle lightly. Shadow Cray's eyes light like fire, intently watching his master's every move. He was very good at controlling his excitement, but you could tell by his eyes everything he had inside of his head.  
  
"So, Vegeta, where is your Father off to today?" Henry stated, moving about the stable giving the horses' plenty of hay and water, not paying Vegeta much mind.  
  
Vegeta gave Shadow Cray one last satisfactory pat on his nose, moving over and letting his back rest against the door to his stall, watching Henry work.  
  
"He's off to Woodstock, and I am to go with him. I don't understand it though. How can such small of a town cause so much damn commotion?" Vegeta said, shaking his head in a mixture of amazement and disgust.  
  
"Well, I heard from Alice that the Scottish are using that as their main fortress town. All of their spies go there every month to send reports to the Scotts." Henry said, stopping for a moment and looking to Vegeta, watching him as he gave Bastion a carrot.   
  
"Really? I haven't heard that, but Alice is quite the ear." Vegeta said, smirking to himself and shaking his head, letting all of the ridiculous gossip memories involving Alice and Sarah slip from his mind.  
  
"How are you and Matilda?" Vegeta said out of thin air, just wanting to talk to his good friend.   
  
"Matilda and I are doing fine, she's still in the castle, thanks to you. Vegeta, I owe you so much, if you wouldn't have said anything to your Mother, Matilda surely would have been moved out of the castle. And what's even better than she still being here, we are going to wed." Henry said proudly and joyously, smiling to himself as he cleaned out Mayan's stall.  
  
"Really? That's good for you guys. You deserve to be happy, that's for sure." Vegeta said, looking down at the floor, suddenly very depressed.  
  
Henry looked at Vegeta, a look of concern on his face as he saw his friend's eyes darken considerably. He did question Vegeta when it came to matters of the heart, if anyone could they weren't found yet. He shrugged his shoulders, walking over to the stool that was in the stable, picking up a letter that had been sent to Vegeta.  
  
"Vegeta, you got this letter this morning. The messenger boy couldn't get into the castle because of the guards, they didn't see a royal stamp, and so he just dropped it off here." Henry said simply, walking over to his Prince and holding it out.  
  
Vegeta snapped out of his trance, staring at the envelope. Who would write to him? He shrugged his shoulders, taking the envelope and putting it in his pocket. He moved and opened the door to his black stallion's stall, motioning him out. Henry walked back into the room for saddles, grabbing Vegeta's own and walking back to the prince, handing it to him.  
  
"Has someone cleaned my saddle recently?" Vegeta said, observing the unusual shine on his black saddle as he placed it on Shadow Cray's back.   
  
"Yeah, I got bored last night so I just started cleaning all of the saddles and bridles." Henry said, watching Vegeta tighten the strap on his saddle, noticing the precision in all of his work.  
  
'Thank you, Henry. You don't know how much I appreciate your little odd jobs that you do all the time." Vegeta said, smirking at his friend.   
  
"Vegeta, no matter how close of friends we are, you are still a Prince, and I am still just a servant. I feel honored just to be treated as well as I am for being your friend!" He stated, watching his best friend in the world mount his horse.   
  
"But still, you are my best friend, and most loyal subject. You and Matilda's family will live good lives while I am King, Henry." Vegeta said, tapping Shadow Cray with the heel of his foot, and riding to meet his father over the ridge of Cantaberry. He was to go to Woodstock. 


	5. Chapter 5: Letter

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Ah lovely. Chapter 5. 5 stupid chapters in 2 days and I got one review. This is just ridiculous. REVIEW PEOPLE!!! T_T  
  
Chapter 5: Letter  
  
  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes, watching his father arrive prestigiously on his horse, surrounded by knights and noblemen. "He always hast to be such a damn show off, doesn't he?" Vegeta whispered to his horse, slowing him down to a slow trot. He'd been riding for the last good hour, but his Shadow Cray could run for days it seemed without getting tired.  
  
As Vegeta drew nearer and nearer to his Father, he slowed down more gradually. His father finished off a conversation with the Duke of Normandy, Charles, chuckling quietly.   
  
"Ah, Vegeta! There you are son. I was just mentioning to Charles here about how you won the Tournament of Blyth, isn't that right son? In the jousting and swordsmanship championships?" His father said, his eyes glaring at his own son, silently screaming at him to be as proud and selfish as himself. 'So that's all I am to him, another thing to brag about...' He thought smugly to himself, frowning for a moment before putting on a very fake smile.   
  
"Yes Father, I did, but I could have never have done it without all of the fine trainers and equipment that you so happily provided for me." Vegeta said, his eyes gazing fire at his Father. He knew damn well that he had to beg and PLEAD for a half-ass equipment and was resorted to wanna-be peasants teaching him the ropes. It was pathetic!  
  
"Only the best for my son, only the best." His father repeated, smiling and looking at the men around his circle. He was the highest, and he had always been one for power. Just as his father before him, Henry the II.   
  
"Well, gentlemen, I believe that we have some political issues to discuss. May we go inside of the tent?" Charles suggested, gesturing to the expensive fortress of fabric, almost three times the size of his chambers at home.  
  
"Yes, we shall, thank you Charles for reminding me. I can't always brag about my children, can I?" I chuckled, all of his subjects chuckling along with him. Vegeta kept the respectable code of silence, for the duty of Prince was to observant, not free-spirited and outspoken. That was just the way it was.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta had been dismissed to his "room", if you could call it that. It was a small tent outside of the fortress of fabric, fit for a Prince, but of course not NEARLY as well off as his Father. It was nice, a bed and a table resided in it, the basic 3 standard outfits and a sword always. He didn't ever understand really why he had to have a sword, he always had 3 guards around him always while he was asleep, but maybe just for prestige.   
  
He sat on his bed, then taking off his chain mail. The letter that he had been given earlier that day fell to the floor, and Vegeta picked it up. He sat it on the table, walking over and lighting a few candles. Curiosity got the best of him as he sat on his bed to take off his boots, getting a candle and picking up the letter. He unfolded it, and read it to himself:  
  
My Prince,  
  
I have heard about you across the land, Your Highness. Rumor has it you're quite the charmer, is that so? My friends tell me that you're a very quiet man, but extremely handsome. A rare trait in English Princes, I do admit, my Prince, you must've figured that out by now. Although, that is no matter right now. I am quite the fan of yours, Your Highness. I really always have been. Stories and rumors about you have been spread across the kingdoms, but I know your secrets. I can read you, Your Highness, like an open book. Now, that does not mean that I am so closed myself, but I am willing to help you.  
  
You see, my good Prince, I am a woman of many shapes, many worlds and many colors. I am a woman of many cultures, of many lands, of many seas, and many people. But the truth is, I am just a woman.   
  
If you try to write to me, please simply send this to my name. The words of you have always found my heart, no matter what the distance, my Prince.   
  
Yours in Grace,  
The Blue Maiden  
  
  
Vegeta sat on his bed, puzzled. He read it again and again, the Blue Maiden? Who in the hell was the Blue Maiden? He sighed to himself, placing the letter back on his table. He pulled back the red sheets and blankets, moving into the bed that was his, for now. His eyes stayed open, but his mind stayed closed on one subject. Who WAS The Blue Maiden? 


	6. Chapter 6: Reply

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Okay, so this is a fairly long chapter, but whatever. I like it any ways, and I'm so happy! 8 Reviews! =D Thanks you guys! But ya know...I'd like more lol. Thanks you guys!  
  
Chapter 6: Reply  
  
  
  
Vegeta woke up from a start, a guard entering his tent and waking up the Prince in as much of a rushed manner as he could without being a nuisance. "Your Highness, Sir! Your father has ordered for you to be dressed and ready to move out by sunrise." He announced, snapping to attention as Vegeta slowly rose from his sleep. He grumbled silently, bitch and complain.  
  
"Leave me now, you damned soldier." He said, glaring at the man and complaining after he scurried out of the tent. Vegeta got out of his "bed", if you could call it that. It really was just a cot. His father had a hand-crafted oak bed moved wherever he went while he was away from the castle. Once he had asked his father about this, at about the age of 13, and he replied in his harsh and firm tone "I am a King, and I should be able to live like one, wherever I go."   
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes at the memory, his father had always been such an ass. He slipped his colors over his head, red and black. His flag was a snake. How this came about was his aggressive actions when he had trained with Hugh Giffard, therefore he gave him the nickname 'snake'. As he grew older, he matured into the name of 'serpent'. He honored the memory of his beloved friend by keeping that has trademark when he started fighting.  
  
He sighed, slipping his boots on and putting his sword in his holster. He started to walk out of the door, but then remembered the letter on his table. He stopped for a moment, wondering if he should keep it or not. It was nonsense, probably from some whore who wanted to impress him. He shrugged his shoulders, wondering 'Why not?'. He picked it up, and put in the insides of his robes.  
  
He walked out of his tent, going right across the field to the make-shift castle that had been assembled the day before. He sighed, looking down at the ground as his feet took him otherwise. He could barely believe that he was finally going into battle. It was customary for a Prince to receive three armies on his 20th birthday. This time now, was his war training. His kingdom was constantly in wars, wether it be France or Spain, Italy or the Holy Land. It was the only way to live, to maintain a vast empire of the English. It was a huge responsibility to be the King of England, it was like being crowned King of the World.  
  
He glared at the guards outside of the entrance of the fortress of fabric, saying in a deathly quiet tone, "If you value your life, soldier, you will let your Prince pass." The guard snapped to attention, in his most rushed and frightened voice "Forgive me, your highness."   
  
Vegeta 'hmphed' as he walked into the tent, seeing his father standing in front of a huge map of the Island and the Kingdoms surrounding it. He conversed quietly with Charles, the Duke of Normandy, obviously trying to figure out which could find a way to beat a small revolt in the northern Normandy area. He just stood there in silence, trying to show as much reverence as he could to the damned Father of his, knowing the more respect he gave, the less pissed off his Father would be in private.  
  
"Well, we could go through Counte Dam, but I don't know. You know that the Dams over there are usually NOT very compliant, especially with you, Charles." He looked grimly at his ally, his eyes cold and sour.  
  
  
"Well, you also know, Henry, that they are extremely poor people. We could probably set aside a small amount to some commoners...just to keep them quiet. They're very good on their word, Henry." Charles responded, staring down at the map.   
  
When the proud and old English King did not respond, he looked up. His eyes snapped and then brightened as he saw the Prince.  
  
"Vegeta, what do YOU believe we should do?" The rich duke said curiously, watching the young Prince contemplate the facts of political matters. He knew what they SHOULD do, blackmail is always the most reliable and sure-proof way to do anything with peasants, but he knew what was correct to the English King, his father.  
  
"We should take a few peasants off of the streets, use them as our guides. A few men could go, so not to cause chaos if we are discovered. If we keep things quiet, we could move the army around the city on the outskirt roads, but for our protection, we should stay as far away from massive armies as much as possible. But of course, that is me. Father should really be the one that decides this." Vegeta said in a cold voice, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking, feeling very proud of himself.   
  
"Very good, son. I believe that is a brilliant plan. We shall leave tonight, an hour after sundown." His father sat down on this prestigious chair, really more of a probable throne, and looked at a guard. "See to it that the commander VanDusch is he here at once, understood?" The guard nodded, moving briskly out of the tent to follow his King's orders.  
  
"Son, you may do whatever you like for the rest of the day. But I would like for you to always have at least 2 guards following you, I can't risk the safety of the heir to the throne of my kingdom, can I?" He chuckled, and Charles followed.   
  
"Yes, Father." He said, turning his back and opening the flap, walking to the horses' arena (I don't know what they called it, so bare with me.) He sighed, then smiled as his loyal friend was brushing Shadow Cray's mane.   
  
He walked briskly over to his friend's side, then reaching up and gripping the nuzzle of the stallion's nose. He saw Shadow's eyes light up, and he then stroked his cheekbone.   
  
"Hello Vegeta. It's nice to see you again" The man said, smiling up at him. He was always nice to him, and he wasn't exactly sure why. He was always cruel and heartless to most of the people around him.   
  
"Hello James. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Vegeta said, moving over and getting Shadow Cray's bridle and leading him over to the hay, holding him there as he watched his friend.  
  
"Yes, it has, Vegeta. 5 months, I went off and helped my father. You know, being the son of the Duke of Normandy sometimes is quite a difficult job. Maybe even more tiring than being the prince of England!" He smirked to himself, listening to Vegeta chuckle lightly under his breath.  
  
"Yes, it does suck to be me sometimes. But, tell me this, how old are you now?" Vegeta said, watching his horse's black eyes as he waited for a response.  
  
"Eighteen in October." His friend sighed, shaking his head and closing his eyes in disgust. It was shameful to be this hold and not married, especially in Normandy.   
  
"Really?" Vegeta questioned, looking up at his friend, puzzled.  
  
"Yes. Mother has been trying to find several "suitable wives" for me for the past year or so now, but I want to be married because of love. But when we're this high up on the food chain, we marry for land, money, and power. Don't you ever think that that's pathetic?" He looked up at his friend, sighing to himself. He'd always been a romantic.  
  
"It is pathetic, but it's the only way we can rule. You've probably heard the lecture from your father as well, a thousand times, that we are to be great. Never fall short of glory or power. Only do what is best for the country." Vegeta said, rolling his eyes and grumbling to himself.   
  
"Yes, but sometimes I wish that I was a peasant. Free to marry and be happy with any person I want. Of course, that'll never happen." He said, looking to soldiers that were practicing their swordsmanship near by.   
  
"Yeah." Vegeta stated simply, turning around and walking to his tent.  
  
.:.   
  
Vegeta read the letter again, still very puzzled about this 'Blue Maiden' that had sent him. It was very odd indeed, most women did not to seem this sarcastic and witty.   
  
He sat and thought to himself, what to write in return. It had been bugging him all day to write to her or not, but then he finally gave into the first, looking at the parchment in front of him. He picked up a quill, and dipped it in ink. He sighed, and began to write.  
  
My Lady,  
  
I am very pleased to hear that I have a fan. I don't have very many willing fans, of course, but it is nice to have them never the less. I don't know that much about you, Blue Maiden, but I can tell that you're very outspoken for a woman, assuming that you are one. But tell me this, though, how do you know what I look like if you have never seen me with your own eyes?  
  
Maiden, I don't know exactly what to write to you. I'm still very ignorant at where you are, what you look like, or what you plan on doing. But I will assure you, that if you try to write me again, I will find you. I have a very high interest in finding out who you are, my Lady.  
  
Your Royal Highness,  
Prince Vegeta of England  
  
He sighed, then walked out to give the message to the guard outside of his tent.   
  
"Make sure that this gets delivered to 'The Blue Maiden'." He watched the puzzled look on the guard's face and smirked to himself as he walked back into the tent, lying down on his bed and looking up at the top of the tent. 


	7. Chapter 7: Memories

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Okay, long chapter, I know. It's kinda weird and everything, but oh well. Enjoy, and PLEASE review! =D  
  
Ruubia is pronounced *Ru-bee-a* in a french like tongue. Ruubia! oo;  
Chapter 7: Memories  
  
Vegeta growled shallowly to himself, he didn't know what to think about this. He was about to lead a small army of men into battle, and he didn't know what to really do. He was only 17, and he didn't know what to do. He was more scared than he'd ever been in his whole life, and he was all alone. All alone in a deafening silence, the kind of silence that occurs before a huge scream, the kind of silence that goes on before the sweetest kiss...that kind of silence. But this silence wasn't sweet.  
  
He watched as the pure black flag rose into the sky, signifying the beginning of the battle. He rolled his eyes as his Father rode out to the front lines and sat there, making one of his insanely stupid and dramatic speeches, trying to rally up the peasants-turned-soldiers men that were on the front lines. Vegeta sighed and just relaxed in his armor as much as he could, his Father's stupid speeches usually lasted about 45 minutes. He sighed to himself, glaring at his father through the mask of metal before his face. He thought about how he hated his father, and went back to that terrible night...  
  
-.-Flash Back-.-  
  
He stalked through the corridors of his fortress that his family called home. It was night, and almost impossible for anyone to navigate through his home if they had not lived there all of their lives. He sprinted across the long gap in between two large columns, stealthily moving through the dark haze in the castle. He had became an expert at wandering the halls at night at his home, he did this often to pull pranks on Alice and Sarah, it was his favorite past time to do so.   
  
But Vegeta tonight, was on a different mission. He was 14, and his hormones of course were raging. He had found a wonderful girl that he had instantly fell in love with, and he was to meet her that night. Her name was Ruubia. She was a french daughter of a countess, and he hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her all summer. His "infatuation" had grown over time, causing him to daydream more and more about this mysterious girl who plagued his dreams. He had confessed his love for her the night before, and she had accepted it. They were to meet that night...alone.  
  
He walked slowly down the stairs, silently letting his feet guide him as his heart was pounding in his ears. He was nervous as hell. He hadn't even ever kissed a girl before, and it scared the living shit out of him to even consider getting his first kiss that night. Ruubia was younger than him, by about 3 months, if he had figured their birthdays correctly.   
  
He stopped instantly, looking right and left. He let out a deep sigh, then pressed his back against the wall. It was dark, and he would wait for Ruubia to show up very soon. He didn't expect her to be able to find her way very successfully, she hadn't been able to the night before, but it was the same spot. He would lead her into a secret chamber that Vegeta had found when he was a young boy, probably around the age of 7, when he was playing hide and seek with his sister Margaret. She could never find him here, and as far as he knew, no one knew about this hiding place but himself. That made it very safe to store and go there.  
  
Vegeta froze as he heard footsteps going down the stairs. They were light and slow, but he could make them out. He was praying to God that it was Ruubia, but he had absolutely no idea. He moved a little more to hide himself, just in case.   
  
"Vegeta?" A faint voice whispered into the wind, the steps stopping at the end of stair well.  
  
Vegeta sighed a deep breath of relief, then walked up to the girl that he had loved all summer now.   
  
"Ruubia." He whispered slowly and softly, obviously tenderness in the voice of his. He had never shown this side to anyone before outside of his little sisters, they were his confinement in everything he knew.   
  
Ruubia's eyes gleamed in the darkness of the night. She was beautiful, all right. She had deep blue eyes, that could just gleam in the light, even though there was none. She was the perfect figure, not too insanely skinny, but curvy and delicious. She had an interesting shade of hair, and Vegeta had no idea why. He smiled as she hugged him, placing his arms around her.  
  
"I'm so glad that you found your way to me again, Ruubia." Vegeta whispered in her ear, his hand gently going up and down her back. He closed his eyes and relaxed at her touch, she had responded in the sweetest way. She had gently placed her head on his shoulder, and Vegeta moved his arms down to her waist, just holding her.  
  
Ruubia closed her eyes in the blessed silence, so happy to be in the Prince's arms. She had loved him for years, ever since she had seen him at a ball in Ruuvington. She was a little girl then, about 10. She opened her eyes and looked up at his black eyes, clearly seeing them stare down into her own.   
  
Vegeta gulped and asked in a soft voice, "Ruubia?"  
  
"Yes, my Prince?" She responded, a small smile on her lips.  
  
Vegeta started to sweat, getting more nervous and scared at the same time. He pulled out all of the confidence he could muster, and whispered down as he gazed into her eyes, "May I kiss you?"   
  
Ruubia had a shocked look in her eyes, this would be her first kiss...and she had absolutely no idea of how to kiss at all. She sighed, and then looked up into his eyes with disappointment in her own. "I'm sorry Vegeta...but I don't know how..." She sighed, looking down at the floor. She wanted to kiss him...more than anything. But she just didn't know how.  
  
Vegeta took her chin between his thumb and pointer finger, tilting her eyes to meet his own. "Wanna learn how to together?" He whispered slowly, smiling. That's when he finally pulled up enough courage...  
  
He leaned down slightly, and slowly, agonizingly slowly, and just brushed her lips with his. Then, he completely made contact. It was the sweetest, gentlest kiss that he would have ever known. The ice that had formed around his long cold heart just melted away in that exchange of love and passion in that slow kiss.   
  
The kiss seemed to last for hours, and when it finally ended, he still wanted more. He had spent the rest of the summer craving that taste, wanting to be with her forever. It seemed like he would be.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta woke up one morning at the end of June, and he smiled. He had the most amazing night with Ruubia the night before, and the thoughts of it just came rushing back to him. He sighed in bliss. They hadn't actually had sex, but they came pretty close, and it was amazing.  
  
"Your Highness! Your Father requests you in the throne room, right now!" A feminine voice yelled through the thick oak door.   
  
"Alright!" Vegeta grumbled, then got out of bed. He threw on some black basic but attractive robes, and walked down the familiar path to the throne room. He opened the doors and bowed respectfully at his father.  
  
"What is it, Father?" Vegeta said in curiosity, looking at his father.  
  
"I would just like to say that your little 'love fling' with Ms. Ruubia Velez is now over. She and her family were sent back to their kingdom, and were exiled from England. You are the Prince Vegeta, the prince! You do NOT fall in love with any one without our consent and political nagotiations! Your little whore begged and pleaded with me for her to stay, but she could not afford the price I was asking for. You will never see her again, my son. And it will do you the best of any kind." His father looked at Vegeta, obviously somewhat disgustingly amused with the reaction he was receiving from his heir.  
  
Vegeta just stood there and breathed out "No", just once. He had a blank look in his eyes, and turned and went back to his room.   
  
.:.   
  
Vegeta sat on his bed, and was starting to get more and more angered at his Father's actions by the minute. He started to shake, his fists clenched and his eyes fierce. He had never felt such rage in his life, and he wanted to have revenge. But he knew he never would...and then one word came to him in a blind and scornful cry.  
  
"I HATE YOU FATHER! I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!"   
  
-.-End Flash Back-.-  
  
Vegeta started to shake in fury and as his father moved to the back, he drew his sword and began to race his horse in a gallop. He was leading his men to a charge, and while Shadow Cray ran, he yelled  
  
"THIS IS FOR YOU RUUBIA!"  
Author's Note: Okay, about the flashback thing. Firstly, I thought that you guys really weren't getting the thing down about why he hated his father so much. So, I explained it in a flash back, and got some fluff in there too. I think I'm a good fluff writer, thank you very much! ^^   
  
Oh, and by the way, BULMA IS NOT A PRINCESS! SHE IS A DUCHESS! T_T I explained that already...jeez...xx; 


	8. Chapter 8: Politics

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: This chapter's a transition chapter, so I'm sorry if it's kinda bad, or short, or something. And I'd like to say thanks to my reviewers:  
Thanks to:  
Shigasu (my IDOL reviewed my fic! ^_^)   
mystic   
Tenshi Kanashii  
Iz-Haru viKesh   
Dan-Chan (but I doubt I'll be doing a Brave-Heart spin off. Lol)  
Chapter 8: Politics   
Vegeta just sat on his throne, looking over the table of diplomats and noblemen of the kingdom that was his father's and his. It was quite revolting, all of them talking about how much land they had and trying to figure out how they could keep a small revolt in Scotland under control. Vegeta rolled his eyes and slumped in his throne a little bit more.  
  
"Well, we have currently a small and secret army in Stirling, and that could be very helpful if any of us would like to get any new lands for you, my king. I hope that this pleases you." Robert the Bruce stated as he bowed respectively, his eyes going to the floor and waiting for a response from his King.  
  
"Yes, Robert. You are the Earl of Bruce, and that would please me if you always had an army stationed there with only allegiance to myself. Now, we wouldn't want any revolts, now would we?" The old king asked, his eyebrow raised and almost glaring at the young Earl.  
  
"Of course not, Your Majesty. Never!" Robert said in a hurried rush, breathing quickly as his Father dismissed him out of the throne room. Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Politics..." he mumbled to himself, starting to get a headache.  
  
The old King looked at his Father next to him, and he smiled a very forced and somewhat evil looking smile. The eyes are what really got the point across, they were cold as ice and staring directly into the pools of darkness of his own. His Father wanted him to pay attention, and he snapped his head up and then straightened his back.  
  
"Well, gentlemen, as you all probably know by now, Vegeta is betrothed to Bulma of Castile, and we all know how much that area of land means to the Island. She could be very helpful to my son when he succeeds me in the throne." He glared over at Vegeta, who was paying an unusual amount of attention to his father. But this was for his own selfish reasons, he really didn't know anything about Bulma of Castile.  
  
"She has political influence and respect of the common people in Spain, and we could keep our diplomatic power there. It would be the very best interest in the whole country if we made sure the two are wed as soon as possible." Henry the III stated to his counsel of subjects, watching them all nod in approval. Not agreeing with the King on something was suicide.   
  
"Yes, Your Majesty. That is an excellent idea." The Count of Taillebourg said, smiling fakely up at his Lord. A man in dark robes appeared in front of the throne, bowing his head low and signifying homage with his respectful tone. He held up a scroll and read loudly.  
  
"Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that Arigan of Castile demands that if he is to hand his daughter to marry our Prince, he must have him for an inspection period in Castile. If the Prince lives up to his expectations, he will be knighted and they will wed in Winchester."  
  
Vegeta looked at the servant, his eyes wide in surprise. Go to Castile? He'd never even left England! He had always wanted to, but his Father had never allowed him to. It was rather insane, but that was his father for you. The old King had a flash look of anger in his eyes, glaring at the servant and whispering coldly,   
  
"Tell Arigan, I will NOT allow my son, the future King of my Country, to go into a ship for an 'inspection period'."   
  
"But Your Majesty, we need the lands in Spain for their huge fortune! We could use Bulma of Castile in more ways than one, and we just need the political advantage!" A brave and somewhat stupid council man said.   
  
"I will NOT allow it!" Henry the III said, standing up and his face beginning to get red.  
  
"But sir, I could go with the Prince to Castile, I am his uncle after all! I could make sure that everything went well and there would be nothing wrong. It couldn't be such a bad thing, could it Your Majesty?"said Richard of Cornwall, his Mother's brother.   
  
"Alright...but would they allow it?" The King's eyes went back on the servants, and the servant nodded, keeping his silence and his distance from the infuriated King. He had been known to loose his temper at anything that seemed to be standing up in front of his authority.   
  
"Alright, I will permit it, but only with Richard as his personal assistant and advisor. I am trusting the life of your future King in your hands, Richard." His eyes wandered back to his Brother-in-law.   
  
Vegeta grumbled quietly to himself, it was like his life wasn't even his until he became King. He was just a pawn in a chest game surrounded by more powerful men, but ultimately the most important player.   
  
His father cleared his throat, and then spoke again. "You and Vegeta will be leaving in 3 weeks, so I suggest you begin to pack while the Queen makes preperations for your departure." His eyes closed in on his helpless son, glaring at him.  
  
"Yes, Sir." Vegeta said slowly, getting up from his throne and going back to his chambers. The "meeting" was basically over, so he wasn't in trouble for anything, he hoped. He walked down the corridor, opening up his grand oak door and walking inside. He sighed as he moved over, sitting in a chair in front of his own fireplace.  
  
Vegeta relaxed, just gazing into the fire. He had won the battle at Bayonne, and he was fairly proud of himself. His eyes stayed on the flames crackling into the silence of the night, and then his eyes wandered to a folded piece of parchment. On the outside it had 'Prince Vegeta of England'...in blue ink.  
  
His curiosity got the best of him as he opened the folded parchment, his eyes scanning over the elaborate writing style that he had seen before.  
  
My Prince,  
  
Oh, your Highness, I am quite a bit more than a fan. I always have been, my Prince. I am a woman, just a woman your Highness. I have power in my words, love in my heart and a soul full of emptiness. My intent of writing you this is that I have a high interest in you, my Prince. I would love for you to find me, it would spruce up my dull and boring life here. But, it will be quite difficult. No one has ever been able to find me before...but not a prince has tried, for sure.   
  
Here, in my home, I seem to be useless. I don't have any control of my own life, it doesn't seem like anyone cares. I am to be married soon, and it's ripping me apart, just reminding myself that I have absolutely no control over my life. I am only a tool for my Father to gain more power, even though it seems he has none.  
  
Oh, and by the way, I never have seen you with my own eyes. But, from the accounts that I hear from my friends, you're quite the handsome one.   
  
Yours in Grace,  
The Blue Maiden  
  
Vegeta just sat in his chair, reading it again and again. What did she mean that she was more than a fan? What does that mean? He sighed and then moved to his desk, placing it in the bottom drawer on top of the last letter he had received from 'The Blue Maiden'. He couldn't help himself, he sat down and grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill. He dabbed it in the ink, and began to write:  
  
My Lady,  
  
He just sat there, not knowing what to say. He got up from his desk, and moved to sit on his bed. He did, and began to slowly take off his robes. He sighed, just thinking as he moved under the covers of his bed. He dreamed of what the blue maiden would look like that night, and he had a very pleasant night sleep.  
  
.:.  
Author's Note: That's all I'm gonna have for now. Review, and when I get 25 reviews, I'll post the 9th chapter. Thanks you guys for the reviews btw! I really appreciate the support that I get from you guys. Without you, I probably wouldn't be continuing this fic as much as I have. Thanks again! =D Oh, and I'm sorry if this chapter's a little bad. This is a transition chapter, trust me, it gets better! ^^ Review!!! 


	9. Chapter 9: Goodbye

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Long chapter!!! =D I hope you guys like it, 25 reviews! Wow! I'm so happy that you guys like my fic. It rocks, and I'm sorry for not addressing the fact before that Sir William Thacter (Chapter 1) is a name from 'A Knight's Tale'. Thanks for pointing that out to me, Midnight Raven! ^^ Thanks, and read on!!  
Chapter 9: Goodbye   
.:.  
  
Vegeta sighed, walking down the lonely and winding halls of his family's fortress. He would be leaving in the morning, and he didn't WANT to leave. It was so damn frustrating, just being shipped off to Castile so a man that he had never even met before. He just listened to the silence of the night, feeling utterly depressed as his mind wandered back to that night. It had been amazing, and he had often recalled it on his walks through the castle. He was a very shadowy and mysterious man, not knowing where to look for anything. He was a 'wandering loner', as someone had once described him.  
  
"At least I have Richard..." he mumbled to himself, turning and going down the hallway to his younger sister's room. He walked down the hallway, then heard mysterious noises coming from Margaret's room. He slowed his pace down, becoming more and more intrigued by the unfamiliar voice coming from her room.  
  
"Mmm...Margaret..." a man said, and Vegeta could very well depict what was happening in that room. He started to hear panting, more and more so...it was actually rather disturbing. His little sister was having sex, or about to. He didn't know who it was, and he just continued his pace down the hall, not even wanting to know.  
  
He walked down some stairs slowly, knowing that it must've been probably 1 o'clock in the morning. He was still very disturbed about the noises that were coming from his sister's room, but he just chose to ignore them. There wasn't any use trying to ponder on them. They were stupid and young, but yet again, hormones raged when you were that age.   
  
He stepped off of the last stair, going down the hallway to the kitchen. He didn't want to do anything right now, besides eat. He was quite a pig when he was under great stress, and he wasn't really proud of that. But he worked out so much, it didn't really even matter. Vegeta walked into the kitchen, sighing and going over to the counter. He smiled, Alice had left a batch of cookies and a glass of water on it. His siblings, and though he didn't admit it to anyone, and himself came down here often in the night. They were very wandering people, and couldn't fall asleep easily.  
  
Vegeta was startled by a voice coming from the opposite side of the room.  
  
"Vegeta?" A small voice said, gleaming in the light and he sighed a breath of relief. It was only his little brother.  
  
"Yeah, I'm here Johnny." Vegeta smiled, grabbing a cookie and taking a bite of it.  
  
"Oh, good. I was scared that you were Father, you know how he gets when one of us is found by him in here at night." John said, walking over to where Vegeta had been previously standing, grabbing a cookie and munching on it himself. Johnny was a mirror image to Vegeta, all the men in this family seemed to look alike. He shook his head lightly, wondering why ever man in this clan of English men had the curse of stone cold eyes.  
  
"What is it, big brother?" Johnny said, looking up at his role model. He loved his big brother, and he always looked up to him. He strived to be just like him.  
  
"Nothing, Johnny boy. Now you can go to sleep now, and don't stay up too late, alright? You know how mother gets if you get cranky." Vegeta said, smiling at his younger sibling and walking over to him, ruffling his hair lightly with his hand. He walked out of the kitchen, going down the long and winding hallways of stone. He needed to get a good night's sleep, he was leaving the next day at dawn for the Cinque Ports, where he would be boarding a ship to Castile.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta yawned, blinking as he felt sunlight streaming into his room. He took his covers and put them over his head, moaning as someone snatched them away from his hands. He shivered at the rush of cold air.  
  
"Up Vegeta boy! It is time for you to leave!" A familiar servant said, moving quickly around the room, assembling odds and ends as she did.  
  
"Mmm...Sybil...it's too early..." Vegeta moaned, putting his head back on his pillow.  
  
"VEGETA! If you do not get up this INSTANT, your mother will not be happy when I tell her that she has a lazy man of a son! Now, up!" Sybil yelled, moving through his chest of clothes and laying out a dark green tunic and robes that matched in a fitting black.  
  
Vegeta snapped to attention, moving hurriedly out of his bed and snatching his robes, going into the make-shift dressing area that he had (think like something like a little walk in closet, about that size). He pulled them over his head, moving as fast as he could. His mother had a worse temper than his father, and he hated being yelled at by her. He grabbed a pair of black, basic boots and pulled them on, moving out of the dressing room and moving hurriedly around his room, snatching his basic items.  
  
"Now, just to let you know, Alice and Henry will be going with you for your own personal servants. Any time you need anything, they will tend to your every need." Sybil said, rushing out of the room and down the hall. She most likely was going to see Henry one last time, he had became an orphan and Sybil had sort of became a mother figure to the poor man.  
  
Vegeta moved to the doorway, then stopped suddenly, thinking. He moved over quickly and snatched the letter from the Blue Maiden, and snatched it. He then dashed out of the room, running down the corridors. The worst thing to infuriate his Father with was being late to an important event, and he dashed down the hallways to the dinning room. It was about breakfast time, and the King loved to have a glass of freshly milked milk(doesn't that sound weird?) in the morning.   
  
He entered the room, looking at his Father and stating very calmly and professionally, "Good morning, Father."   
  
"Good Morning, Vegeta." His father said, not even looking up from what he was doing.  
  
"I expect that you'll be leaving in an hour, is that correct, my son?" The old but not wise kind said, looking over a letter from some noblemen somewhere.   
  
"Yes, Father, it is." Vegeta said, looking at his father and trying to read his expressions. He didn't seem to be late, or if he was, his father didn't really seem to mind.   
  
"Well, if that is the case, I suggest that you go down to the stables and make sure that your horse is ready to ride. You know that it's about a day ride from here to Cheshire, so I suggest you go check on your horse." He waved him away, and Vegeta glared at his father. He was being treated as a common servant, and he was just damn getting pissed off!  
  
He gritted his teeth, and just mumble, "Yes, Father." and walked out of the dinning room, down the hall and down the stairs to the end of the castle.  
  
He sighed, looking out at the tiny little town that surrounded the castle. He'd say that there was about 30-50 people living inside the walls of the castle, but his father hadn't ever complained. They always provided great fresh foods for their royal cooks, and to keep his father as fat as he wanted.  
  
He walked across the road, moving through the crowd and going to the stable. The guard at the door nodded and bowed in respect. He rolled his eyes, looking around for Henry. He felt his heart drop a little as he saw Henry, then smiled lightly.  
  
"Matilda, I'll be okay. We're not going away to war...I'll come back to you. Please, please promise me that you will still love me when I return to you." Henry said softly, his arms going around Matilda, holding her tight. Vegeta just let them embrace each other for a moment, just gazing into each other's glazed and wet eyes. Matilda was fighting with all her strength not to break down, and saying sweetly, Vegeta had to strain his ears to hear her...  
  
"I'll love you until the end of time, my love." She said, one single tear spilling down her cheek. Henry cracked a small smile, leaning down and kissing that tear away. He looked up and saw Vegeta standing there, his eyes widened and instantly launched into an explanation.  
  
"Your Highness! I am so terribly sorry, I was to prepare the horses and I already did so, and I just wanted to say goodbye to my fiancé. I am so terribly, terribly sorry about this." He said, moving away from Matilda a little.  
  
"Henry, it's fine. You guys are so cute together, I'm very happy for you guys." Vegeta said, moving a few steps closer. Matilda and Henry smiled, looking at each other one more time and Henry took her into her into his arms, leaning his lips down and kissing her one last time before he left, tasting her affectionatly. He pulled away, whispering something into her ear and Matilda smiled, moving away from his embrace and then walking out of the stable.  
  
"God, she's perfect. I love her so much, Vegeta." Henry said, sighing to himself dreamily, then going back and feeding the horses some more.  
  
"Yeah." Vegeta said, trying to hide the envy he had for Henry and Matilda, he wanted that kind of love. He sighed, then smiled a little to cover up his real emotions, "Hey, how's Shadow doing this morning?" He said, moving over to his own horse's stall.  
  
"He's doing fine, feed him about an hour ago. You can brush him, if you want." He said, looking at Vegeta. Vegeta turned and Henry tossed the curry comb to him, grabbing it and opening the door to Shadow Cray's stall. Shadow was perfectly calm when Vegeta appeared next to his body, just looking back at him with his huge black eyes.  
  
Vegeta smiled, brushing Shadow's coat with the comb, humming lightly. "I heard that you're coming with me to Castile, is that right?" Vegeta said, not moving his eyes up but still conversing with his best friend.  
  
"Yeah, I am. How long do you think that we'll be there?" Henry said, cleaning Shadow Cray's saddle again.   
  
"I'd say anywhere from about 6 months to a year, maybe longer, I don't know." Vegeta said honestly, combing Shadow's mane.  
  
"Hmm...should be an adventure. I've never been to France, hell, I've never been to Boredaux!" He said, laughing lightly to himself. He was a servant, what did he really expect?  
  
"Yeah, it's not really a big deal. You know how to ride Bristol, so you'll be fine." Vegeta said, trying to calm his nerves.  
  
"Yeah, but still." He sighed, applying more pressure. Vegeta stepped out of the stall, going into the tact room and getting a bridle. He moved into the open stall, placing it over his horse's head, then leading him out.  
  
"Are all of horses ready to ride?" Vegeta asked, pausing for a moment and looking at Henry.  
  
"Yeah, everything's ready besides Shadow and yourself, Vegeta." Henry said, looking at his friend.   
  
"Wow, I AM a lazy ass, aren't I, Henry?" Vegeta said, laughing at himself, Henry joining in.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta slowed down the horse a little, then going to a complete stop. They had arrived in the Cinque Ports, and he had been on his ass all day, riding. He had gotten used to the arms wrapped around his waist, Alice was holding on tight. He had volunteered for her to ride with him, and that wasn't a problem for anyone. He jumped off of his horse, then having his hand up to assist her down. Alice placed her feet on the ground as the rest of them men with Vegeta had gotten off of their horses.   
  
A man came up to Vegeta, asking suspiciously, "Are you Prince Vegeta, son and heir of the grand King of England, Henry the III?" Vegeta rolled his eyes, showing his royal rings, basically his ID card and key to anywhere he wanted to go in his Father's country. The man bowed gracefully, and then stated in a much less harsh tone, "Sir, would you like to board the ship now?" Vegeta nodded, and instantly a few men came and lead the horses into the ship, following the group.  
  
The man refused to get off of Vegeta's arm, and kept asking bothersome questions, "Would you like to retire now, my Prince? Where would you like to stay, the captain's quarters or the Royal Quarters? Are you allergic to satin?" Vegeta rolled his eyes, responding quickly, "Yes, Royal, and no. And my companions will be comfortable as well, even the servants, and their rooms will be near mine, understood?" The servant nodded, and then Vegeta sighed, walking onto the ship's deck.  
  
"Nice ship." Henry stated to one of the other servants, obviously lower than himself now. Vegeta nodded in approval, moving and stated quickly, "I will be lead to my quarters right now, and I will be awoken before launch tomorrow, is that understood?" He rose an eyebrow at the servant, and he nodded.  
  
"Yes, sir, it is."   
  
"Good." Vegeta followed a man down some hallways, and into the royal quarters. He always liked living large, and he always liked being on a boat.   
  
But it damn, it was going to a long 6 weeks.  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: Woah! Long friggin' chapter. oo; I told you it'd be good. =D Any ways, thanks for the reviews ^_^ and I'm gonna be updating soon, I hope. =D Thanks again, and please, please, PLEASE, keep the reviews coming! 


	10. Chapter 10: Surprise

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Ah, Chapter 10. I think that if I don't get anymore reviews after this, I might just quit the fic. 10 Chapters and only 28 reviews...*sighs* It's like no one reads my fics, at all. *sighs* Make me happy again, people! Please!   
  
Bunyae is pronounced Bun-yay.   
.:.  
  
Chapter 10: Surprise   
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta sighed, looking down at the practically blank letter. He had boarded this ship what was it now, almost 6 weeks ago? Everything was going according to plan, and Vegeta every night would sit at his desk and look at the letter that he had not yet written to the Blue Maiden. He continued to put it off, trying to think of what to say to this mysterious woman that seemed to know so much about him.   
  
Vegeta sat, and just began to write as he glanced at her most recent letter once more, sighing and letting his pen go slowly across the parchment.  
  
My Lady,  
  
You are intriguing me more and more, Blue Maiden. I don't know practically anything about you, but still here you are, sending me letters without me even finding out anything. I am the Prince and HEIR to England, and here you are, probably some peasant somewhere grasping and holding my interest. I applaud your ingenuity, my Lady.  
  
I can relate with you there, my Lady. I don't have any control over my own life, for I am to marry Bulma of Castile soon, and I don't know practically anything about her. My Father's just a cold hearted bastard that won't ever let me do anything for myself, I'm just a prince, a prince that will be ruling his country one day. He will turn in his grave if he thinks that I will continue the family empire the way that he has, I assure you of that.  
  
Who are your friends? I don't understand why everything in this world is so lonely, but I only have one true friend. His name is Henry, and he's nothing more than a servant. But it seems that all of the noble 'friends' that I have, are just trying to get a little taste of my power when I am king. The world's an evil, evil place.  
  
Your Royal Highness,  
Prince Vegeta of England  
  
He smirked, content with himself. He would post this tomorrow in the morning, to make sure that it got to the Blue Maiden as soon as possible. He had developed a fascination with   
this woman that called herself 'The Blue Maiden', if they even were a woman.   
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta rode down the board walk with Henry by his side, the Limerick Palace wasn't too far from here. The duke of Castile could live very, very well. The dukes and duchesses of Castile had became rich from trade long, long ago, and the tricks and manipulations of people across their country and the Europe population in general were just passed down, generation to generation. Bulma's grandfather, Vegeta had learned over the voyage, was the master of all of this. He had given up the duchy of Castile to his son, Ferdinand III the day before Vegeta would arrive in the palace.   
  
Really, he wasn't really that afraid of anything that they could possibly do to him. He was the Prince of England, heir of Henry the III's huge kingdom and fortune. He was going to get a suitable wife, in Maine or Castile. He had offers from both, so he wasn't worried about anything. The linage of these people were amazing though. It was like, they were bred to be schemers and travelers.   
  
Vegeta kicked Shadow Cray's sides gently, urging him to go faster. He could see the palace by now, it was massive. Almost as big as the one that his family, the Plantagenet clan had an addiction to the wealth and prestige of their lifestyles. Shadow Cray galloped along the trail at a steady pace, letting his master ponder as he road. Vegeta saw a curve in the road, and smirked as he reached the gates of the massive fortress. A few guards stood at attention, and one ran out to greet him.  
  
"Welcome, Prince Vegeta. The duke is anxious to meet you, your Highness." He smiled lightly and bowed gracefully, the other three guards opening the gates to the palace. Limerick was a beautiful place, probably one of the most elaborate in Europe. He sighed, slowing Shadow Cray down slowly. He wanted to check out his surroundings, Henry tagging right behind him. Vegeta looked back at his friend, smirking lightly as the young servant looked on in awe. Vegeta shook his head lightly, smiling as a woman came up to him, greeting him in a very welcoming manner.  
  
"Welcome, welcome my Prince! How are you, my dear?" She smiled an affectionate smile, her body draped with a dark red dress. Her forehead had a small blond curl falling out of her tight bun. She giggled lightly, and continued to look at Vegeta. "My dear, why don't you come inside?" She smiled, gleaming up at him.  
  
"Who are you?" Vegeta asked in a fairly harsh tone, his eyes gleaming in curiosity. The woman giggled again, and Vegeta's brow rose at this. 'She is a very happy person, no doubt about that', the thought to himself.  
  
"I am Bunyae, duchess of Castile, wife of Ferdinand the III. I was here sent by him to greet you and invite you to lunch, your Highness." She smiled up at him, politely bowing. Technically they were equals, he didn't own their land...yet. He was a guest in their home. He jumped off his horse and said politely, "Excuse me, my Lady, but I shall inform my entourage to get comfortable. I would please ask that my two servants, Henry and Alice, be placed near my quarters. Richard will be joining me to all of the occasions that I will be in the presence of Ferdinand, I have guessed that by now my Father has informed you of all this." Vegeta said, walking slowly beside Bunyae, as two servants came, showing Henry and Alice to their rooms.   
  
"Oh, but of course. That shall not be a problem, in fact, we have been expecting it, your Highness. We really do appreciate you accepting the fact that it is just tradition for an inspection period goes on when a marriage is bestowed to a member of the family." Bunyae said, leading Vegeta to the dining room. He was completely dressed for an occasion, and he could begin to smell delicious food vibrating from behind two very large doors that were at the end of a long, winding hallway. It was about noon, and he was starving though. Even though he probably only rode for an hour, you work up quite an appetite.   
  
Vegeta licked his lips without noticing this, his mind coming to an epiphany. He was going to see Bulma of Castile, for the first time most likely when he entered through those doors. A wave of nervousness clashed into his blood, he was going to see his future wife in a matter of moments. He sighed quietly to himself, then noticed Bunyae talking to him.  
  
"Vegeta? Are you ready to enter, now?" She asked, in a somewhat concerned voice, but her happy sense was still with her. Vegeta snapped out of his trance, and nodded. The guards opened the doors slowly, and the world just went into slow motion. He walked in, and instantly looked around, but saw that their were no women in the room besides Bunyae. He frowned at this, but kept his thoughts to himself.  
  
"Ah, Prince Vegeta! How kind of you to join us, my good Prince!" Ferdinand said, his eyes in a twinkle and grinning happily. He walked up to Vegeta and gripped his hand tightly, smiling a broad and huge smile as he shook his hand firmly. Vegeta kinda was uncomfortable with this, but just kept his thoughts to himself. He was in a new land, and he didn't know how long he would be here, might as well TRY to get along with the Duke.  
  
"A pleasure to meet you, as well, Ferdinand." He said, smirking a little. He was lead to his seat, to the right of the King, and saw Richard sitting at the end of the long table.   
  
"Well, my good Prince, I am glad that you made the long journey across the channel for my daughter. I know she is worth it, and I hope this is worth your time." He said, smiling and looked at Vegeta with happy eyes. Vegeta was starting to get sick of all this happiness, but hey, he was only given Castile today.   
  
"Yes, I hope it is as well. But, my Duke, where IS your daughter?" Vegeta said, squirming a little in his chair uncomfortably.  
  
"Oh, no one told you? You will only see my daughter AFTER the end of the inspection period." He said, looking at Vegeta curiously. He must've known that, right?  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: =D YAY!!!! oo; I'm happy that I got this chapter over with, but maybe it was a little short. I don't know, but I think that I did good. Nice twist, huh? I'm giving you guys a good and juicy story I think. So, if you have any suggestions, just send me a review. Oh, and if you want to join the email update list, just email me @ hard_rocker119@yahoo.com. Thanks! ^^ 


	11. Chapter 11: Acquaintances

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Okay, so, firstly, there's something I'd like to say. Shigasu's been busting her ass, and I just don't find it all that fair that people have been flaming her fics like it's no tomorrow. The girl's one of the best author's I've ever read, and if my fics were HALF as good as hers, then I would be a happy woman. But...they're not. *sighs* Oh well.  
  
Oh, and by the way, BULMA IS A DUCHESS. NOT A PRINCESS. I'm sorry, but it's just annoying me. *points to summary* T_T   
  
Oh well, ON WITH THE STORY.   
.:.  
  
Chapter 11: Acquaintances   
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta gaped at Ferdinand, he must be joking, right? His eyes stayed wide, and then gained some composure.  
  
"No, actually, I didn't. Why is this?" He asked, his surprise obviously showing through as he watched the server come with his stew and bread, serving from the left.   
  
"It's tradition, as far as we're concerned, it is inappropriate for you to lay eyes on my daughter until I have inspected you. It's just tradition, you must prove yourself, your Highness." Ferdinand said, his eyes puzzled as he gazed at the young prince.  
Vegeta just sat, confused in all of this surrounding him. He didn't know anything about this, the not even being able to lay eyes on Bulma. What if she was some kind of fat pig, or a hideous string bean? His father wouldn't do that, but you never knew...this was his father, really.   
Vegeta sat in silence for the rest of the meal, wondering why his Father had failed to mention this little part of tradition. He sighed, and took a spoonful of stew.   
  
.:.  
  
"Very good, Vegeta. You're a very good shot, you know that?" Geoffrey said, watching the prince's every move.   
  
"Of course I know this, you bastard." Vegeta said, glaring at the Earl. He closed one eye, and aimed at the bulls-eye. He pulled the bow back slowly, and released. A perfect hit, dead center. He ignored a person that came behind, he could feel their gaze penetrating his very soul.  
"Damn...you're good." The stranger mumbled, and Vegeta smirked. He turned and looked at him, standing in his famous stance.   
  
"I am not good, you idiot, I am the best." Vegeta watched him and glared as the stranger shook his head.   
  
"I will show you who is the best." The man said, his black hair jetting up towards the sky. His robes were a strange color, orange. He wasn't familiar with the family who wore orange robes, maybe it was a school. Vegeta just kept his thoughts to himself, then replied.  
  
"Is that a challenge, you fool?" Vegeta said, watching his every move.  
  
"Yes, I believe it is, Prince Vegeta." He watched him, his gaze looked into a staring match with the almost furious prince. He could tell that he was younger than him, but not by that much.  
  
"Alright, but you will loose. I can guarantee that." Vegeta smirked.  
  
The stranger took the bow that he held in his hand, and an arrow from his case on his back. He aimed and released, hitting exactly the bulls-eye. Vegeta's eyes widened for a moment, then gained his composure. He did the same, and split the stranger's bow in half with his own. He smirked, and then walked over to the stranger.  
  
"What is your name?" Vegeta asked, looking suspiciously at the tall man in orange.   
  
"My name is Goku, son of Gohan of Ephany. I am here to win the honor to marry Chi-Chi of Castile, but I know who you are. You're Vegeta of England, Prince of England and heir to the throne. It is a pleasure to meet you." He bowed, and then grinned at him sheepishly.  
  
"Well, thank you, good Count. Chi-Chi is the Countess of Maronburg, correct?" Vegeta said, crossing his arms and watching him.   
  
"Yeah, she is. It's bullshit though that we can't see them until we're 'good enough', but that's alright...I've heard that the women that we're trying to 'win' are always watching us." Goku said, smirking a little. He liked the idea of being watched over by a woman that had a reputation of being the sexiest woman in Europe.  
  
"Really? Interesting I thought-" Vegeta was stopped by a man riding down the field on a horse, in all his glory. He could already see that the man was a show-off, and he rolled his eyes at this.  
  
"Who's that?" Vegeta said, motioning to the man riding on the horse.  
  
"Oh, that's Yamcha. He says that he's been with every woman in this castle now, and he just thinks that he's a lady killer. Son of Robert the Bruce, the XV, and thinks that he owns everything. He's probably one of the poorest here, but he loves to spend his daddy's money." Goku said, rolling his eyes. He had always hated the man acting as if he was some kind of God, and that just got on his nerves.  
  
Yamcha rode up to them, and bounded down.   
  
"Well, if it isn't Goku, virgin boy, and a new friend. Oh what a PLEASURE to meet you it is. My name is Yamcha, Count of Deburrary. And, you are...?" He said, making sure to swish his robe at least 3 times. Vegeta was beginning to see why Goku had shown such an apparent dislike to the man.  
  
"Do you want me to go into all of my titles, honestly?" He smirked, and then watched him pale a little. Yamcha smirked in return.  
  
"Sure, go right ahead." He said, suspecting that he was just some kind of Earl or maybe even a Duke, possibly.  
Vegeta smirked, and then recited in a perfect manner:   
  
(Now, people, the man that I'm basing this story off of had EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE TITLES. Meaning, that this took a shit load of research to do, thank you, and practically every fact and place is real in this story).  
  
"I am the...  
  
+ Earl of Stamford + Earl of Grantham + Earl of Warenne + Earl of Bristol + Count of Gloucester + Earl of Essex + Duke of Cheshire + Earl of Durham + Count of Dublin + Lord of Leinster + Lord of Meith + Count of Limerick + Count of Athlone + Duke of Gascony + Prince and Heir of Henry the III's Throne of England." Vegeta said, smirking and then placing his feet and arms in his trademark stance.  
  
Yamcha and Goku stood there, jaws dropped, and Vegeta just smirked. Yamcha looked shocked at this, and then quickly bowed his head in deepest respect. Vegeta was the King of England, for God's sake! He shook his head, and then thought in disgust with himself. He smirked as his eyes met the gaze of the arrogant Prince yet again.  
  
"I am soon to be the Duke of Bruce, son of Yamcha the Bruce the XV, your Highness." He put as much sarcasm as he could in his voice, straining to make sure that he let the Prince know that he was not over him mentally. Physically and politically, yes, but not mentally. Not yet, at least...  
  
"Delightful. Yamcha is here to 'win' Matilda of Castile, the Duchess of Boreadaux." Goku said, smiling lightly. 'He's disgustingly cheerful, that Goku is' Vegeta thought to himself. He couldn't stand happy people, they were just so stupid it seemed. But really, what could you expect from a man that was from Ephany?   
  
"Yes, I am. I've slept with every woman in that castle, I can guarantee that. But I can tell...Bulma is by far the best woman in bed that I've ever had. Women just eat out of the palm of my hand, I'm sorry to say." He said, smirking and then looking at Vegeta, who was glaring at him.  
  
"What do YOU know about Bulma of Castile?" Vegeta said, obviously disgusted that possibly the man in front of him could have possibly fucked up his possible future Queen.  
  
"She's just a whore, that's all." He said, and backing away from Vegeta a little when his eyes flashed with fury that stayed calm.  
  
"She's to be my future Queen, if everything goes to plan, you bastard." Vegeta said, growling a little in his throat.  
  
How DARE this low life Earl talk to the future King of England in such a pathetic manner?  
.:.  
Author's Note: =D YAY! Chapter 11 finally done. I'm really happy about myself, though. I mean, this took me a while to do. I had some writer's block, and I also had to do some planning and research for this chapter in perticular. I'm surprised though that no one's even given a HINT of who they think that Vegeta might be in this story. *sighs* Come ON now, peoples. Oh, and I'm sorry if Goku's a little OCC. Well, it's an A/U, so I =P lol  
  
Oh, and if you want to be on the update list thing, just email me @ hard_rocker119@yahoo.com. Thanks, and PLEASE, Review!!!! 


	12. Chapter 12: Mysteries

Longshanks and the Blue Maiden  
  
Author's Note: Alrighty, well, for the past couple of chapter's, they've been kinda short. And I also write my Author's Notes at the end, and seriously though, if you wanna be on the update list when I update my fic, just email me @  
  
hard_rocker119@yahoo.com =D You won't be disappointed!   
Oirleon is pronounced Or-le-own (try something french sounding hehe)   
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 12: Mysteries   
  
.:.  
  
"You're here to win Bulma of Castile?" Yamcha said, gulping silently. He knew that the royal family in England were notorious for ruthlessness and brutality. Not only the men, but the women as well. Oh, who could forget Eleanor of Aquitaine?   
  
"Yes, I am, but do not think that the future of my kingdom lies in the hands of some 16 year old girl. I have women in practically every other kingdom, duchy, county, or earldom on a list, ready to ship their daughters to my throne. I do believe that your sister, Chasity of Bruce, is even one of the lucky few." Vegeta smirked, his eyes still in a blaze of fury. He could slaughter either of these pathetic fools if he wished to.  
  
Yamcha had not been aware of this, a slight shocked look on his face that seemed to be permentaly etched his skin. He then shook his head, and then smirked back, trying to keep his pride in tact. "Well, at least I apparently get around much more than the either of you do, so I should say that no matter what happens, I obviously will have an Earless on my arm." He said, then climbed up onto the saddle of a huge white horse. He smirked down at Vegeta, knowing that he had won this battle, but had not won the war.   
  
.:.  
  
"Bulma! Bulma, come on! You said that you would be out of there 15 minutes ago!" A raven haired young woman said, her hand going to a fist and banging on the door.  
  
Bulma placed down her quill, and then hurriedly put the letter in the small pocket in her dress. She quickly got out of her cushioned chair, and walked over to her full length golden mirror on the wall. She smiled at her reflection, her strangely blue hair hang in natural curls on her shoulders, and her porcelain skin gleamed in the mid morning light. She ran her hands down the front of her sky blue dress, adorned in a white ribbon around the waist and on her collar. She had a square neck line, just barely showing any hint of her developing breasts. The dress was a simple summer gown, but she loved it nevertheless. She smiled and then hurriedly ran to the huge cherry (like the wood) doors, finding her life long friend, and cousin, Chi-Chi, outside her door.  
  
"Jeez, Chi-Chi, do you think that you could be any MORE impatient?" She smiled lightly at her best friend in the world. If she had only been blessed with brothers and sisters. She was an only child, and that constantly was a heavy burden on the young woman's life. She had been overjoyed that Chi-Chi had decided to spend the summer at the Castile fortress. She hadn't been lonely, or bored, the whole summer!   
  
:Well, you know that the reason I came here in the first place was to see the man that I am most likely going to MARRY, you know." Chi-Chi said, annoyed. She motioned for her friend to walk with her, and Bulma kept up her semi hurried place, going down the corridors of her fortress. She knew where they were going, to the stables for a nice ride in her family's fields.   
"I know, but still, even though tradition goes that they can't see US, there's nothing that says that we can't see them." Bulma said, looking mischievously over at her friend. She giggled a little, knowing that Chi-Chi thought that Goku, her husband to be, was absolutely adorable. She had to admit to herself, though, that he was very stunning, but a little stupid. Her cousin and herself had seen the tall man fall several times, mostly on his face.  
  
"Exactly! That's what I told your Mother today, saying that all we wanted to do was ride our horses around the fields a little bit...but you know exactly what we're going to do." She looked over, and smirked at Bulma.   
  
"Oh, did someone fail to mention to her that today the boys were going to be in the fields practicing archery?" Bulma said, smirking over at her friend, coming to a stop. Chi-Chi moved over to her friend's ear, and whispering in it quietly,  
  
"What she doesn't know, won't hurt her." Bulma laughed lightly, and then continued her stroll down the corridors as she expertly navigated her way through her home. She had grown up here, and she knew the fortress like the back of her hand. She could find any place you wanted to go...and knew exactly where the best places were to 'get some privacy'. She smirked at herself, remembering the early years of her youth when she would sneak stable boys into small secret chambers and kiss them for hours, but never escalating. She was proud to be a virgin.  
  
"How very true, Chi-Chi, how very true." Bulma said, shaking her head as she walked down a flight of stairs and lead the way for her best friend in the world to the stables.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta heard the clinging sounds of metal being hit, going back and forth on his feet. He was very surprised that this earl could be so good, he wasn't royal. He smirked as Goku stumbled back on his feet, falling down and dropping his sword. Vegeta took the tip of his sword and placed it at the center of his throat, and smirked.  
  
"You're good, Goku, I must admit this. But you are not as good as me." Vegeta withdrew his sword, and placed it in his holster. He placed a hand down, and grabbed a hold of Goku's hand, helping him to his feet as it was customary in Feudal swordsmanship.   
  
Goku smiled, very proud of himself. He was just simply a duke, and the future King of England was being actually somewhat nice to him. Vegeta had never been nice, but it was certainly better than hostile that he was to practically every one else. He was very puzzling, wondering what he had been like when he had been young. Goku had had a fairly care-free childhood, being trained by his Father's close friend, Master Roshi, with his life-long friend Krillin. Vegeta walked over to Shadow Cray, taking a drink of water from his canteen. He set it back down into his saddle bag, and leaned up against the black stallion.   
  
"What's your horse's name?" Goku said, trying to make simple conversation. He also had a deep love of animals. He walked up to the black horse that had an eye of fire, and patted his nose gently. He smiled as the horse was seemingly dangerous, but Vegeta was calming the stallion with his hand. 'They must have some kind of a special relationship', Goku thought to himself.  
  
"Shadow Cray, what about yours?" Vegeta said, his eyes wandering over to the Arabian bay. He could tell that it had been bred for greatness, the horse's legs were strong and fit. But the hind one of his left leg was injured, he could see a huge scar of a gash found in his leg.   
  
"Oirleon." Goku stated simply, his eyes wandering over to his horse. The Arabian bay had been his friend through everything, when he was younger the only thing he could control. Now, he was growing up into a man. He sighed in the irony of it all, and walked over to his horse as well.  
  
"How did you find such a fine horse? Most of the Arabian Horses in Europe are either owned by my family or the Spanish." Vegeta said, leaning up against his stallion contently. He was in for a nice story, this was practically a vacation for the young Prince.  
  
"A Spanish nobleman when I was about 10 came to our home with his army. He had a son that was maybe 18, and he had a rare Arabian horse, Oirleon here, that was a young foal that he was going to give to his fiancee. Well, during the battle a man had slashed Oirleon's leg and the foal was dying. He wanted nothing to do with the foal, he was just holding him behind, and I begged my father Gohan to allow me to have Oirleon. I nursed my horse back to health, and he's just a strong as he would've ever been. I've worked him hard, and if it hadn't been for me, Oirleon probably would've been killed. So, that's how I came about with my rare breed of stallion." Goku said, smiling sheepishly, patting Oirleon's long neck muscles with his hand.   
  
Vegeta contemplated this in a moment, wondering who that nobleman was. He saw a bay horse with a long white star spreading down it's nuzzle galloping toward them. He smiled as he recognized the horse as his dear friend's, Bristol. He smiled as he saw Henry waving to him, Goku looking anxiously.   
  
"Who is that?" Goku said, his eyes wandering back and forth from Vegeta to Henry.  
  
"That's my servant and right hand man, Henry." Vegeta said, smiling a little as Henry took Bristol to a slow stop, and leaping down. He bowed respectively, and held out a letter to Vegeta. His eyes wandered back up to his life long friend, and smiled lightly.   
  
"A letter for you, my dear Prince. It just arrived a few moments ago, and the messenger ordered me to send it to you as quickly as possible. I have no idea who it's from, the messenger did not say, but I do suggest that you read it quickly." Henry said, watching his master's eyes as he stared at the outside of the letter. He turned it over slowly, and his eyes widened and a smirk graced his lips as he saw the inscription.   
  
Prince Vegeta, Heir of the Royal Throne of England...in blue ink.   
  
Vegeta smiled, and then walked over to Shadow Cray, getting up and straddling his legs. He grabbed the reins with one hand, and looked down at Goku.   
  
"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Goku, and if you ever feel up to a rematch, send a message." Vegeta said, flashing a smirk and then galloping off across the field with Henry in toe.  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: Well, that's the longest chapter I believe I've ever written. I hope that makes up for the shorter chapters that I've been sending in, but I'm having a little bit of a writer's delima. I need reviews, you guys. I'm really starting to feel like that no one reads this! I don't know, but I'd like to get some feedback. I'm trying to update often, really I am! But when you're doing a fanfiction based on a part of history, you HAFT to do some research. It's just a must! That's why I'm not updating as often as I'd like. But, if you guys keep reviewing, I will update sooner. And I also WILL write longer chapters. I guarantee that! Oh, and btw, Shigasu, you NEED to start updating Veil again! Your new fic kicks ass, (Oiran, it's awesome, definately a good fic, highly recommended!) and I love it. Keep up the good work!   
  
Well, that's it for my long ass Author's Note, and when I hit 50 reviews, I'm gonna post my songfic that I think you guys will LOVE. It's long (almost 5,000 words) and I've spent a lot of time on it. So...  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	13. Chapter 13: Princess

Author's Note: I know, I know, I update a week ago, and I was gonna try to get this chapter written in 2 days or something. Well, I was having some family problems (well, not PROBLEMS, my aunt just had a baby lil girl! =D), and I was just kinda busy. I'm sorry, I really am! hehe Anyways, onto the chapter!!!!!!!!!! ^^  
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Chapter 13: Princess  
  
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Bulma and Chi-Chi walked down to the field, and crossed over the courtyard between the stable and the castle. They both walked into the stables, and walked to their horses. Lily and Violet had stalls right next to each other, they actually had been twins when they were born, a rare instance with horses. They didn't look very much alike, though. Lily was a bay, her dark coat with a single star on her forehead. Violet was a pure palomino, but an identical star on her forehead. They both were purebreds, mares with class. They both went into their stalls, and Bulma whispered to Violet.  
  
"Hey, girl, how are you doing?" Bulma said, patting her mare's nose. A woman came into the stables, carrying a basket full of carrots. Bulma lifted her head to see who it was, then smiled lightly.  
  
"Alice!" Bulma said, going out of the stall. She embraced her friend as Alice placed the carrots down, and they hugged. Chi-Chi just watched in curiosity, wondering who the strange woman that was probably in her late teens. She had never seen the brunette before, and then Bulma smiled over at her cousin.  
  
"Oh, how terrible of me! Chi-Chi, this is my pen pal from England, Alice. Alice, this is my cousin and best friend, Chi-Chi." They smiled at each other, and curtsied in a modern and customary greeting.   
  
"It's a pleasure meeting you, Ms. Chi-Chi. And I see that you guys are probably going to do some riding this morning," she smiled and winked at Bulma, she was always her informant. She had heard all the diplomatic talk every morning when the men ate their breakfasts. "I know from your letters that you can't saddle a horse to save your life, Bulma, so come to the tact room with me." Alice said, and Bulma followed.  
  
Alice grabbed a bridle. She smiled as the bridle was her own, it was a nice red leather one. She always loved to be feminine, no matter what occasion. Alice grabbed her beautiful black saddle that had embroidered roses on it. They walked to Violet's stall as Chi-Chi went into the tact room, and Alice placed the saddle onto Violet's back.  
  
"I think that I can handle it from here, Alice. Thanks." Bulma smiled at her friend, she had been ecstatic when she had read in her letter that she was coming to Castile.   
  
"You're very welcome, Bulma." She smiled, and then picked up her basket, and placed it by the hay. She walked out of the stable, and Bulma secured the saddle on Violet's body. Chi- Chi stood with her hands on her hips, watching her friend slowly do this, mumbling to herself about random and seemingly useless topics. Chi-Chi was an expert rider, she could saddle up a horse in probably 15 seconds flat. It annoyed her to see Bulma going so slowly.  
  
"Could you BE any possibly slower?" Chi-Chi said, annoyed with her cousin. She sighed as Bulma just kept her back to her, looking down at her burgundy dress and smoothing her hands over her stomach. She was a very insecure woman with her body, she had always hated it. She sighed, and then looked at Bulma. She grabbed the reins over her horse, glancing at Bulma and leading Lily out of the stable, Bulma moving slowly behind her. She was lost in thought, wondering about ``Yamaha. That man was gorgeous, absolutely stunning.  
  
"Hello? Earth to Bulma?" Chi-Chi said, pestering her to get out of her trance-like state. Bulma blinked, and looked over to her cousin.  
  
"What?" Bulma said, her eyes full of puzzlement and leaning up against Violet, smoothing her hand over the beautiful mare's coat.   
  
"Do you have any idea who THAT is?" Chi-Chi said, looking over at the black stallion with a mysterious rider on it's back.   
  
Bulma shook her head 'no', wondering who the man was that had flame like hair.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta rode through the open fields, smiling to himself as he saw the castle approaching. He thought to himself of how much land they must own, but not really paying that much mind to it. He didn't want to think about that right now, it just wasn't right. Not at all. He sighed, and then rode up to the stable, and then leaped down.  
  
He glanced at two women that were beautiful, but one was just absolutely breath taking. He let his eyes wander on the woman with mysterious blue hair. He took his off of her, and walked Shadow Cray to the back of the stable to his fairly nice stall. He took off the saddle that he had been using for the past few days, and took it into the tact room. He sighed, watching the two mysterious women ride away. He didn't know who they were, but he could tell by their attire that they must be rich. He shook his head, trying not to think of the mysterious woman with blue hair. Vegeta walked back to Shadow Cray with a curry comb in his hand, and brushed the back of his stallion.  
  
"What's happening to me, boy?" Vegeta said, and Shadow just simply neighed in response.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta walked into his chambers, sitting down on the chair in front of the elaborate desk that they had provided for their guest. He took the letter out of the pocket inside of his shirt, and took a deep breath. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he was very anxious to read this letter. With each letter from the mysterious 'Blue Maiden', he had become more and more intrigued by this interesting person. He stared at the desk, and then slowly unfolded the piece of parchment from the mysterious woman.  
  
My Prince,  
  
I'm holding your grasp am I? What an excellent compliment, your Highness! I am thrilled that you find my letters amusing, I spend quite a bit of time writing them. I guarantee you, though, your Highness, I am no peasant. I know all of your titles, and I am pleased to say that I am very happy for your Father defeating the Scotts at Woodstock. They Scottish have been rather annoying for the past few decades, if you do understand what I'm getting at.  
  
Bulma of Castile is who you are engaged to? I am delightfully disgusted with your fine choice in women. I can't say that I am very found of the woman, she is one of the richest in the world, is she not? Even though that Father of her is sitting up on his throne now, he'll soon be dead. I've heard several rumors of an invasion of Castile, but of course, not from very reliable sources. Mindless chatter from men passing by in armies, you know the such. Men have wild imaginations when they're drunk.  
  
My friends are your friends, good Prince. The end of an era of loneliness and betrayal is coming nearer, your Highness. I shall see you soon, with my very own two eyes.   
  
Yours in Grace,  
The Blue Maiden  
  
Vegeta sat, just reading the letter over again. As always after every letter, Vegeta was confused and amused. He smirked at some of her wit, and frowned at some of her scorn. She was quite a character, this Blue Maiden.  
  
.:.  
  
"Well, Chi-Chi, dear, you must SIMPLY have this amazing fabric for a gown. It is most fitting, and I think that it is absolutely gorgeous!" Bulma squealed in delight, smiling at her friend. Her smooth hand went across the fabric slowly, feeling the softness of the silk below her fingertips. Green had always look stunning on Chi-Chi, she had to admit, but blue was just simply Bulma's color of choice. Of course, she'd wear light creams and whites, yellows and sometimes reds, but always her formal wear must simply had to be blue. It was just her style, and made her eyes look more dazzling, her hair more gorgeous.  
  
"I don't know...do you think it's a little too revealing?" She motioned to the design of the dress, looking over it thoughtfully. She then smirked at the image of that gorgeous man, Goku, gawking at her.   
  
"No, dearest, it's simply dazzling! You MUST have my seamstress make it for you!" Bulma squealed, she had always been such a sucker for fashion. But, being the lady that she herself was, it was quite an issue of class and style for one to dress nicely. Chi-Chi walked over to the table on which the satin was laying. She had to admit, it was classy.  
  
Bulma's thoughts wondered back to that mysterious man. She had seen him only one, and now, according to Alice, that he had been here for a month! Once in a month. He surely did hide himself well, didn't he? Bulma sighed, looking down at the blanket on which she was sitting on. Her legs stretching out a little on the wonderfully large bed. Her head moved as she heard a knock on the huge cherry doors.  
  
"My Lady! Your Father requests you in the grand room immediately!" A servant said through the thick wood doors.   
  
"Tell him that I will be there in a moment!" Bulma yelled, and then grabbed her slippers, scurrying with Chi-Chi following silently behind her.  
  
.:.  
  
"Bulma! Bulma darling, glorious news! Castile has became a Kingdom! We have finally defeated the Germanians in the North! You are now the Princess of Castile, and I am now the King!" Her father exclaimed, and Bulma just stood in shock for a moment, trying to comprehend this amazing news. She then rushed over to her father, hugging him tightly.   
  
"This is amazing Father, amazing!" She said, hugging him close and placing her head on his shoulder.  
  
"It's more than amazing, Bulma dear! You're now a Princess! Now Prince Vegeta from England CAN'T refuse to marry you now!"  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: HAHAHAHA!!! Quite a twist, huh? Who's da best...who's da best...*chants and hears people cheering her on in the background* HELL YEAH!! lol Thanks for everybody that reviewed my last chapter, I'm slowly gaining fans! I love you all!!!! =D 43 Reviews and counting!! Oh, and I'd love to mention someone.   
  
Tenshi Kanashii has been reviewing my fic from the VERY BEGINNING! She was probably one of my first fans, and I just wanted to give a nice big ol' shout out to her! You rock girl, and you just all around kick ass!!  
  
Anyways, please, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	14. Chapter 14: Tiara

Author's Note: Well, once again, here I am, talking to you. lol You don't wanna hear me, I know. On with the story!  
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Chapter 14: Tiara   
  
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"The Prince is considering rejecting our marriage proposal?" Bulma said, moving out of her father's embrace slowly.  
  
"Not the Prince, his Father. But since Castile has finally became a Kingdom, there's no way that he could refuse. We also gained much wealth from this immense war on the southern border." Ferdinand said, watching his daughter intently.  
  
"But father..." Bulma began, then was silenced by her father's raised palm facing her.  
  
"There will be no further depressing discussion of this matter. This is a time of celebration! Later this evening you will be crowned Princess, myself King, your mother Queen. I hope that you will go see for yourself to get ready." Her Father said, chuckling lightly under his breath at his daughter's paled face, noticing the instant amount of stress that went across her delicate features.  
  
"Of course, Father!" Bulma said, moving quickly out of the room and walking past the guards that opened the door for her. She walked fast, then seeing her cousin following her, her eyes full of worry.  
  
"What's wrong?" Chi-Chi said, keeping up with her younger cousin's pace.  
  
"We're to have a ball tonight, I'm going to be crowned Princess!" Bulma said, watching her cousin. Chi-Chi paled, and then moved even faster than Bulma.  
  
"Then we MUST get you ready!" Chi-Chi said, flinging the doors open to Bulma's now Royal chambers.  
  
.:.  
  
Goku took an arrow from his casing, placing it on his bow. He closed his eyes and released, opening them to find a perfect shot. Vegeta clapped a single time, and then took his own bow, taking an arrow and hitting the target almost perfect, just slightly to the left. The Prince cursed himself mentally, and then let his eyes wander over to his new friend, who was smirking, and then hollered down to Henry.  
  
"What's the score now, Henry?"   
  
Henry scratched his head, and looked back at Vegeta, then yelled back.  
  
"End of Round 9, Goku's the winner, 5-4 Goku's favor!" Henry said, looking back up at his master. He smiled a little to himself as he saw Vegeta frown, knowing how much his Prince hated losing. He thought that he was going through this quite well, actually.   
  
"This is bullshit..." Vegeta muttered under his breath, releasing his arrow for another shot. He smirked as it hit the bulls-eye, knowing that if Goku didn't get this shot, Vegeta would be tied. It was better than losing, he must admit, but this Earl that was now unconsciously his friend, and a damn good at chivalry. He wondered that if he was a strategist as well, but by the lack of intelligence that his somewhat 'slow' friend seemed to display constantly indicated the opposite. So, he snapped out of his musings as he heard Goku's voice speaking to him.  
"Are you going to the now 'royal' families crowning ceremony tonight? I heard that your fiancee or whatever the hell we're supposed to call them is to be crowned Princess tonight." Goku said, smirking inwardly as he saw Vegeta having the slightest hint of red on his cheeks.  
  
"Well, yes, but she's really the one that should want ME. For God's sake, I'm to be the King of England soon!" Vegeta said, growling a little under his breath as he slowly was getting angry.  
  
"Vegeta, calm down, now. Just because these Castilean idiots have all this traditional shit, that doesn't mean we haft to be pissed off at the bastards. You do know that they're the richest family in the world, well, next to yours..." Goku started to trail off, rambling on about useless things until he was finally complaining about his family's apparent lack of financial means. Vegeta rolled his eyes, and then walked over to his stallion, attaching the bow and his arrow sling on the saddle bag.  
  
Goku scratched the back of his head for a second, and then asked Vegeta again,  
  
"Vegeta, are you going to the ball tonight that's after the crowning ceremony?" Goku said, watching his friend.  
  
"No, Goku, I'm not. I've got a lot of mail to catch up on, and I wish to do some reading and studying from the books I brought over from England." Vegeta said, and then raised an eyebrow at the some-what dreamy expression on the young earl's face.  
  
"Are you going?" Vegeta said, his eyebrow fully raised and just studying his face intently for any signs of lying. Goku placed a hand behind his head, slowly scratching it and putting on his insanely stupid grin of his.  
  
"Yeah, I wanna see if I can see Chi-Chi tonight. I haven't ever seen her, and I might just get a peek at her tonight." Goku said, smiling stupidly. Vegeta saw no signs of deception on the Earl's innocent features, and then grunted a little at his ignorance. Vegeta sighed, then looked at the horizon. The sun was about to set.  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma scurried across the pale marble of her floor, her feet graced with her blue slippers and then stopping for a moment as she saw her reflection in the corner of her eye. Her eyes went over her figure, then her hands. Her palms went over the pale blue silk material was her gown, her fingers traced the lace on her waist and neck lines. Her sleeves were full and bouncy, but delicate and smooth all at the same time. Her hair had been rid of all her natural curls, and it was straight but wavy at the ends. She looked good, she had to admit this. She looked damn good.  
  
"Think that Goku will be at the ball tonight?" Chi-Chi said, moving into Bulma's reflection slightly to get a better view of her green silk dress. She smiled at her reflection, and then hugged Bulma lightly.  
  
"Just think, my cousin is becoming the princess that she always wanted to be." Chi-Chi said, her eyes starting to form wet droplets in them. The raven haired woman blinked them away before Bulma could see them, and then smiled as she looked her best friend up and down.  
  
"You know that all the men in the court won't be able to stay away from you tonight, Bulma. I don't know if you dress to please yourself or please the temptations of other men." Chi- Chi said, laughing lightly at her final statement. Bulma swat at her friend gently, a smile on her face.  
  
"Come on, Chi-Chi, you know damn well that I will not go to bed with any man that does not have the wedding ring that I give to him on his finger." Bulma said, smirking slightly at her stubbornness, sighing quietly as she recalled at the times that she had been approached by hormonal dukes, earls, and lords over the years. It was disgusting how to think that when she was 11 a man almost twice her age tried to feel her up. She cringed at the memory, and then came back to the reality of where she was now.  
  
"Yes, I know, but what I also know that it is almost sunset! You can't miss your own crowning, Bulma!" Chi-Chi said, laughing a little with Bulma.  
  
(A/N: Some people might wonder why I put this in here, but I know one of the big things that I like about the middle ages were the elaborate gowns that woman wore. You should seriously check out some of the dresses in some paintings and such, they're absolutely stunning! Hehe)  
  
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Bulma opened the doors, her diamond tiara very much fastened to her hair. She remembered what the small token looked like, it was covered with diamonds and silver with a single blue aqua jewel in the center of her crown. It was amazing, and completely suited for her head. She had found out earlier that her Father had been making crowns for the family every year, knowing that one day he would finally have a Kingdom. She snapped out of her memories, and grinned as she heard the ballroom erupt into applause, she was leading her parents into the now Royal Ballroom. She looked elegant that night, and so did her mother. Her Father had just been crowned King of Castile, and she had never felt so happy in her life. It was perfect, absolutely perfect at this moment.  
  
Her eyes scanned through the crowd for any sign of that mysterious man that she had seen earlier that day, though she found a man that had tall black hair. A grin flashed from his face, a scar going down over his eye to his left cheek bone. He had gorgeous onyx eyes, stunningly boyish and innocent features graced his lips. Bulma had seen him before, but she couldn't remember where. She felt a small hint of blush run over her cheeks as she saw him winking slyly at her through the crowd, sighing to herself as she sat to her Father's left. Her Mother was on his right, and Bulma had always felt like she was the heir he would never have.   
  
King Briefs stood in front of the crowd on the high table, making a grand speech, his crown moving slightly on his head as he spoke.   
  
"My Lords, my Ladies, I thank you very much for you applause. Tonight is a grand night for the now Kingdom of Castile!" King Briefs stopped mid speech as the hall erupted in cheers and yells. He grinned, watching his nobleman rejoicing. The hall gradually died down in it's cheers, waiting for their newly crowned King to speak once more.  
  
"I have been waiting for this moment all my life. But, tonight is not a night for grand speeches! I do so, though, with no further delay, let us eat!" He motioned for the servants to enter, the room erupting in cheers once more. He looked over to his daughter, who was searching for something...or maybe someone. He sighed slightly to himself, seeing how much of a woman she was blooming into. He didn't want to admit that she was growing up, and would leave home for good soon, but the grief of his little girl growing up was hard to bare. He sat as he saw his daughter and his niece, Chi-Chi, erupting in delicate conversation.   
  
He tried to block out the conversation, and did so. But there was someone still watching his little girl, even though the new King did not know so.  
  
"Chi-Chi, you know that man that I pointed out to you a few days ago? The one with the scar?" Bulma whispered, trying to make sure that her Father didn't here such talk. She knew how much he hated the fact that she was growing up, and boys and his image of her when she was 6 just didn't mix.   
  
"Yes, what about him?" Chi-Chi looked away for a moment, knowing several diversional tips of her own. She waved at a young Earl with blonde hair, who had smiled at her. She didn't want to bring too much attention to them.  
  
"He winked at me. Yamcha winked at me in front of everyone! What does that mean?" Bulma whispered, sighing a little in her own confusion. She didn't like to play games with men, especially that were now under her. She knew the penalty for flirting with other men when the 'inspection period' was going on with her future fiancee to see if he was worthy or not.   
  
"Well, that obviously means he's interested. I bet you the last piece of that chocolate cake in the kitchen which I reserved for myself he'll talk to you by the end of the night." Chi-Chi said, winking slyly at her younger cousin. She knew how much of a sucker Bulma was for chocolate, and that always had triggered her interest in everything. She also knew that Bulma was a virgin, as was Chi-Chi herself. She was saving herself for her husband, which was the proper thing to do for a woman of her stature. Hopefully, though, she was saving herself for that gorgeous man, Goku...  
  
"Well, I bet you two triple chocolate cookies that your Goku man will be here tonight and that you will dance with him." Bulma said, a spark of competitive edge twinkling in her eye. She knew how much of a crush that her older cousin had for that clumsy man, and she didn't know why. She had always had a value for higher class men, men that had intelligence and importance to society. Sure, the man had class in society, but in the head he wasn't the smartest man you'd ever met.  
  
"Alright then, deal." Chi-Chi said, taking Bulma's hand and shaking it. Then, her eyes widened as she saw a man with onyx hair stepping into the grand room slowly.  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: XD Who had her first cliffhanger? *points to herself* xD I know! I know, egotistical person, I know, I know, but I'm proud of this chapter. It's probably my longest one, and I might as well make it longer. I'm gonna thank all my reviewers now, so if you wanna just skip through all of this, I won't be offended at all.   
SaiyanGal: Thank ya! =D   
  
Camaro: Thanks for the review! I really appreciate that some people can tell how much work I do to think about what I'm going to write. I know that it kinda sounds corny, but I do appreciate it. Thanks again!  
  
Animechick: I know that a lot of people have been telling me that I should update soon, but I think that an average of a week's space in between updates. Is a nice amount of time. =D I mean, I have a life and everything...it's not like I live and breathe fanfiction. Writing's a hobby for me, and it's a wonderful release to just come home at the end of the day and look forward to seeing Vegeta and Bulma once again. It's just a great thing. ^^;  
  
The Immortal Angel: How is my story confusing, exactly? If you have any questions, just post them in a review. I'll address them either if you leave your email address, or I'll just put the question and answer in my next chapter. Hehe or, you can just email me @ hard_rocker119@yahoo.com hehe  
  
strawberries: Well, I know that a lot of people have been telling me what they think about 'The Blue Maiden'. Well, I think that if you read my story over again (and honestly, it's not that long...yet hehe), you'll get a better view of what you think. But I assure you, you won't be finding out any sooner than of my other reviewers. Hehe ^.~ Oh, and btw, I put one of your fics in my favorites. =D  
  
Tenshi Kanashii: Well, of course you get a shout out! I mean, you were ONLY my first reviewer and have faithfully reviewed every chapter since, all with praises! =D You're just very nice, you know that? Yeah, and I like the relationship with Shadow Cray that Vegeta has. I just kinda thought about a way that I could incorporate some kind of sentimental and relationship that Vegeta has, even if it is with a horse. It just lets you see a softer side of Vegeta, beneath that cloak of anger and hatred. I'm glad you noticed. =D  
  
Locke: Well, you'll just haft to figure that out for yourself. *cackles evilly at her mysterious and wonderful ways of intriguing people into reading her story* I AM THE EVIL MASTERMIND OF THIS STORY. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE ITS LURE. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!!!! *hears crickets in the background and not lighting, then coughs* Sorry...next reviewer? Hehe =P  
  
Sorceress Fujin: oo; I just did...o_o; lol   
  
Well, that's everybody. I probably added 1000 more words to my story because of all the peoples that reviewed Chapter 13. I HAVE FANS!!! *hears applause and catches the roses being thrown at her* lol Any ways, remember, if you want to join the update list, just review and put your email address in there, saying you want to be on the update list, or email me @ hard_rocker119@yahoo.com   
  
Well, after all that said....  
  
REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!!! REVIEW!!!! (lol) 


	15. Chapter 15: Flirtations

Author's Note: =D Here ya go with Chapter 15! And, I want you ALL to read the Author's Note at the end, okay? Lol  
Eiteena is pronounced At-teen-a (a play on 18 medieval style)  
  
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Chapter 15: Flirtations  
  
.:.  
  
...Goku stepped through the grand doorway, his onyx hair defying gravity and his broad grin on as he was adorned with a orange and black tunic. His eyes turned to a raven haired duchess that was sitting next to the newly crowned princess. He grinned at her, before taking his seat on the middle class side of the table.  
  
(Author's Note: Okay, I'm gonna try to explain to you how royal dining feasts things were seated. You had the royal table, only for the King, Queen, and their kids [in this case Bulma, Bunyae, and Ferdinand]. Then, you had two tables [think like a U] you had the royalty and close friends of the royal family -a.k.a. Chi-Chi- at the bottom of the U. Then, you had two tables going vertically beside them, and where you sat indicated what your status was in society on those two side tables. The closer you were to royalty, the higher up you were on the status and prestige bar, etc  
  
Sorry if I confused you!)  
  
"Bulma, look! It's GOKU!" Chi-Chi whispered frantically, trying to divert her eyes as much as possible from the stunningly gorgeous man, but she just couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. Bulma moved her eyes to see the clumsy man, noticing that Yamcha had motioned for him to take a seat next to him. She noticed his resistance and hesitant nature that he was showing, her thoughts wandering curiously about why that was. She hadn't even really met Yamcha, just admired and flirted with him from afar. But if a man was THAT gorgeous, wouldn't he also be that sweet?   
  
Bulma snapped out of her gaze, looking over at her cousin who was staring dumb at her 'betrothal fiancee' as they were supposed to be referred to as. She wondered if she looked THAT stupid when she was staring at Yamcha. She payed it no matter and then whispered in a hurried rush.  
  
"Well, Chi-Chi, why are you sitting here like a lazy ass! Go talk to the man for heaven's sake! You know that he's only maybe 2 or 3 years older than yourself. Just go and make your move! Take some charge for Christ's sake." Bulma said, winking at her older cousin.  
  
"I won't go to HIM, he'll come to ME...you just wait and see, my little cousin."  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta sat down at his cherry desk, his quill in his hand. His eyes wandered back and forth from the blank parchment in front of him, and the letter written in black ink. He didn't know to what to say, how to start off this letter with the wit and cleverness that seemed to grow from this woman's words from each message she sent to him. His curiosity had grown with each passing letter, wondering who the stranger was. He had figured out at least a FEW things by now:  
  
1) She was a very culturally defined woman or was around culturally defined women constantly by the way she wrote; her penmanship suggested that she was a very educated woman, but he couldn't completely tell where she was from.  
2) She was obviously cunning and charming, he had definitely picked up on that fact from even the first letter he had received from the mysterious woman.  
  
3) She had blue ink.  
  
Vegeta sighed in frustration, wanting to know more and more about this woman that plagued his thoughts and mind. He wanted to know what she looked like, what family she was from, how much money she made, what lands she owned, if she owned land, if she had attended any schools, if she was married...the questions just seemed to drift off into infinity.  
  
He finally had just had enough of this staring contest between the blank piece of parchment and his mind, placing his quill onto it and started the letter...  
  
My Lady,  
  
Yes, indeed, you are holding my grasp. I have so many questions for you, Blue Maiden, that I think that I will only start with a few; What family are you from? Where do you live? Are you a woman? I'm sure that these questions will only be received as questions of curiosity from my naive knowledge of you so far, my Lady. I hope that you do not find these in any way, shape, or form offensive. You have intrigued me, Blue Maiden, and I have no intention of stopping writing to you until I know who you are.  
  
Yes, I am betrothed to Bulma of Castile. Tonight was her coronation ball and feast along with her Father's and Mother's. I did not oblige myself to go, I don't really have a want or need for social activities. I am just simply very amused with just sitting here in my chambers here in Castile, alone in my thoughts. Please forgive me to wandering off the subject slightly. I am, though, surprised at your apparent dislike for the newly crowned Princess. I myself have not met the woman, but what do you have against her, my Lady?  
  
Who are your friends, oh mysterious woman? I don't understand how you speak in riddles. For with each letter I receive from you, I get more and more confused by your elaborate and clever choice of words. Please, my lady, explain some things for me in your next writing, will you?  
  
Your Royal Highness,  
Prince Vegeta of England  
  
Vegeta sat, looking at the letter that he had wrote to the mysterious woman. He found it satisfactory, and blew on the parchment a little to make it dry, and then walked over to his bed, moving his back to the headboard and just sitting in his own thoughts, wondering what the Blue Maiden was doing at that very moment...  
  
.:.  
  
Goku diverted his eyes from the raven haired duchess for seemingly the thousandth time that evening. She was simply stunning in her olive green dress, and he couldn't believe that he was to be married to HER. She was undoubtably gorgeous, but he knew very little about her personality. Simple observation had revealed to him that she was a controlling and demanding woman, and was very strong willed, a rare trait for women of the time.  
  
His eyes now wandered to Yamcha, who was watching a collection of women very keenly out of his eye, but his gaze seemed to stay on Bulma, the newly crowned Princess. He frowned at this, knowing Yamcha's bragging rights and how Bulma was seeming to be very flattered by his constant flirting and seducing from the Earl. He couldn't help but strike up very obvious conversation with the man to get his eyes off of Bulma. It just didn't seem right for the man to be looking like the Princess like that. She was claimed, and Yamcha wasn't supposed to be looking all sexy for her!   
  
"I see that you've got an eye on the Princess, don't you, Yamcha?" Goku said, whispering to keep the commotion down even though how obvious Yamcha's attraction to the blue haired lady was.   
  
"Yeah...isn't she just such a babe, Goku?" Yamcha tore his eyes away from Bulma, that was blushing a dark red from all the attention she was receiving from the Earl, for a moment.   
  
"Yeah, but don't you just think that Eiteena of Boreadaux is just an eyeful over there?" Goku motioned with his eyes to the blonde haired countess that was arguing with Krillin of Spain. Goku had to admit it, she was beautiful, sure. But the kind of badass beautiful, like she could take you on and always win. He liked women that he knew he couldn't handle, but he didn't want a woman that could kick his ass! That's why he had this undeniably strange attraction to the raven haired duchess.  
  
Yamcha moved his eyes to see the woman that Goku had referred to. His eyes widened as he saw her, she was practically perfect! Smooth skin, blonde hair, huge blue eyes and just a kick ass body. She was just what he was looking for...but then he realized that the woman wasn't high up on the food chain of society. He wanted a woman for only three things...  
  
1) Her body, more specifically her virginity.  
  
2) Her money  
  
3) Her political influence  
  
Yamcha wanted to be powerful, ruling an empire that could always be his until the day he died, then being passed down from generation to generation. Since his father wasn't even close to dead yet, he was just getting laid by numbers of women. He had lost his virginity at age 13, to his maid that was 24. Ever since then he had been addicted to sex. He had demanded that at least one woman be in his bed every night at his home in Bruce. Yamcha could not count how many children he must have by now...but most of them had been poisoned at infancy, ridding him of the problems of the children.  
  
But now, now was business. He was surrounded by political women constantly here, trying to seduce all of them into his bed, and when he got them in his bed, he couldn't take everything else he wanted from them. Women were such suckers for love, and he could smitten them with lies of true love and his outpouring care for them. He had always found some kind of sick pleasure from all of his lies to the oblivious women. His father had taught him, though, the ways of manipulation and power. It was just part of his personality.  
  
Yamcha let out a deep breath as he continued to think about Eiteena. He knew that she wasn't rich, he could tell that by where she was sitting (refer up to Author's Note @ the top) she wasn't rich...but he could only imagine how good she must be in the sack.  
  
"Well, she'll be good in bed, but I doubt that she's good at anything else. But when you look at Princess Bulma over there...damn, she's quite a catch, isn't she?" Yamcha said, his eyes becoming full of lust and desire for the woman as he placed his gaze back on her. He smirked as she blushed once more as she realized he was staring at her.  
  
"You do understand, Yamcha, that she's already claimed by the son of the most powerful man in England?" Goku said, trying to calm down the horny man's hormones down.  
  
"Yeah, but who gives a shit? She's probably still a virgin...I bet she'd be delicious."  
  
.:.  
IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY THE WAY I AM PORTRAYING YAMCHA, READ THIS  
Author's Note: When I started this fic, I did not intend for it to be a Yamcha bashing extravaganza. But, I did at the beginning lie out who I wanted Yamcha to be, the historical figure Robert the Bruce the VXIth(16th). Robert the Bruce the VXI was very...umm...'taken' with the Princess of Castile (xD I'm not telling who she is yet!). And, he also only saw women as tools. SO, I am not bashing the Yamcha in DBZ, I'm just using his name so that it illustrates to you who he is, and the Z Gang can be more apparent to you. Also, I don't know if you saw this, but Krillin and Eiteena (or Eighteen) were introduced in this chapter. I know, they didn't say anything, but I just wanted to squeeze them in there. I think that this is a nice chapter, and I think that this is about the middle of my fic. I had no idea that this fic would go on for so many chapters, but hey, I'm putting a lot of detail into this story to make it more interesting for YOU (the reader), and I just hope that you're enjoying this fic as much as I am writing it! =D  
  
Thanks! 


	16. Chapter 16: Charm

Author's Note: No need to delay this chapter any longer! On with the show.  
.:.   
  
Chapter 16: Charm  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta woke with a start. He hadn't meant to fall asleep against the bedpost, but of course, no one means to fall asleep in their fully dressed garments, do they? Vegeta blinked a few times, getting the sleep out of the corner of his eyes. He yawned and stretched a little, wondering what he could do now...everyone was in the ballroom. He got off his bed and slowly walked to the door, then looking back and forth down the long hallway. He saw it to be empty in the darkness, and then stepped into it.   
  
He walked alone in the black of the night. The only sound that the young Prince heard was his own breathing and the echo of his own footsteps, fading off into the distance. He looked around as he came to a flight of stairs; he hadn't explored the castle enough to know how to get to places. He sighed a little as his curiosity got the best of him. He walked down the dark staircase, wondering where the cold stone steps might lead him to.   
  
.:.  
  
Chi-Chi sat at the head table, staring at the plate of food placed in front of her. She played with the salad a little, poking it and moving it around to various places on her plate. She slowly let her eyes drift up to the onyx hair man, her thoughts seemed to be constantly on him. She growled slightly to herself as she saw him and Yamcha talking to a blonde headed countess, known to the wealthy as Eiteena. She hated that bitch, she just didn't even seem to be human.  
  
"Oh, come on now, Chi-Chi, eat!" Bulma said, but her eyes didn't come off of Yamcha. She wouldn't ever admit it, but she was extremely jealous of the gold headed woman. She was a princess of the second richest Kingdom that the world had ever seen! She had power, money, influence, charm, beauty, and above all, she had class! Not like that badass woman over there that was constantly rambling on about women's equality in the world. She should know her place, like everyone else!  
  
"I can't eat, Bulma, when Goku is talking to that...that...WOMAN over there." Chi-Chi said, her eyes becoming full of fire and envy of the woman. She hated it when men that SHE was interested in, and there weren't too many, were talking to other women. The man was gorgeous! Sure, he was stupid and clumsy, but that doesn't deny the fact that he was gorgeous! Eiteena of Boreadaux definitely didn't deserve him, she had gorgeous men hanging all of her constantly! The world just wasn't fair anymore.  
  
"At least he's just TALKING to her..and not..flirting with her..." Bulma said, starting to get very depressed. She wanted to be that beautiful! She knew that she was sexy and alluring, but the she didn't have the kind of beauty that men were just naturally drawn to. The kind of presence that the countess had was amazing, she could attract so many men from anywhere, and no one really knew how she did it.  
  
Chi-Chi finally tore her eyes away from the onyx haired men talking to Eiteena, frowning. She began to think, then smirked as an idea came to her.  
  
"Hey, let's not play by their rules, Bulma...let's play by our own. Make THEM come to US. That way, if Yamcha and Goku choose not to come to us, then we know that they're just two EXTREMELY stupid bastards that just missed out of the chance of a lifetime with the two most beautiful women in all of Europe!" Chi-Chi whispered to her cousin, grinning as she saw them become alive with fire in enthusiasm.   
  
"Alright, then, Chi-Chi...let the games begin."  
  
.:.  
  
"Oh, come on, now, gentlemen...you're embarrassing me..." Eiteena smirked, her hand going up and taking a strand of her hair, placing it to behind her ear. She looked deeply into Yamcha's eyes, knowing how amazingly handsome the Earl was...she wondered all of the thoughts that were forbidden to a woman of her time. Her mind's eye became to be cloudy with want and lust...  
  
"Oh, come on, now, Eiteena, you've gotta be kidding me! You KNOW that you're the most beautiful here!" Krillin said, pursuing the insanely beautiful woman that sat in front of him. He had always had a thing for her since he saw her for the first time, over 4 months ago. She was just so brave and dangerous, alluring and seductive. She wasn't everything he wasn't, she was like a drug that he was addicted to. He had never even really spent any alone time with the woman, but he had found himself falling for her.  
  
"Oh, I don't know about THAT, Lord Krillin. But, let's ask what Lord Yamcha says about who is the most beautiful...me, or Princess Bulma." All of the surrounding cluster of people within earshot diverted their eyes to the Earl of Bruce, anxiously awaiting his answer.   
  
Yamcha immediately began to think about the answer to this hard question; who was the most beautiful? But, really, the question was, what would get him more? If Yamcha said Bulma, he wouldn't ever have the possibility to get the Countess of Boreadaux in his bed. But, if he said Eiteena, he would flatter her, making him seem like there was some kind of attraction between the two of them besides sexual tension. He had to make it look like he was intrigued by the dangerous looking woman, so, he stated his answer...  
  
"I completely and whole-heartedly agree with Lord Krillin, you are the most beautiful, M'Lady." Yamcha said, bowing his head lightly in a sign of respect, and then reaching for Eiteena's hand. He took it into his own, raising it to his lips and kissing it sweetly. He put on the most genuine smile he could muster, looking up deeply into Eiteena's eyes as he kept his lips on her skin for a few more seconds. He was trying to woe her with his devious tricks and lies, knowing exactly how to get whatever he wanted out of any woman he wanted.  
  
Eiteena stayed very still on her seat, watching Yamcha as her heart was beating almost uncontrollably. She blushed even the slightest bit, but that was the most attention or romantic affection she'd ever received before. She had promised herself that she would stay a virgin until marriage, but this man seemed convincing...very convincing. She felt her begin to turn to jelly, and finding herself feeling a sign of disappointment as Yamcha withdrew his lips, and then his hand, away from hers.   
  
"You are, certainly, Yamcha of Bruce, the most charming man I've ever met..." Eiteena mumbled to herself, her smirk staying almost permentaly etched on her burgundy lips.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta walked down the slow and winding halls, his footsteps echoing. He wasn't actually sure what time it was, but the moon was half outside and at the top of the sky. He stayed in silence, his own thoughts driving him into deep. He didn't know what to do, so he was just wandering aimlessly around the corridors.  
  
But then, something picked up in his ears. He heard the very distant sounds of a soft song, a singing voice coming from somewhere. He didn't have any idea who the person could be, heck, he couldn't eve tell if it was a man or a woman from this distance. He walked down the corridors, towards the soothing voice. By now, he had pretty much figured out that the singing was coming from a woman.   
  
Vegeta walked slowly, before he walked up to a door, the voice was inside of the room. He gulped for a moment, his imagination flaring up into a whirlwind in his mind. He slowly turned the door handle, and then peeked inside the room. He suddenly realized that this was a room he had been in often, very often, actually. It was the kitchen. Finally, though, he walked slowly into the room.   
  
Suddenly, something bumped into him in the darkness. The woman was about to fall, and she grabbed Vegeta for support. Then, Vegeta finally saw who the woman was in the darkness...  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: Now, I know, I know, it's short. Listen, alright, you guys. I needa explain the long awaited Chapter 16, and why it's kinda short. Firstly, I do most of my writing on the weekends. Now, I got grounded last weekend and then I couldn't spend any time working on Chapter 16. Also, I'm having a writer's block right now. Not to mention school's piling up on me, semester's almost over and I just don't wanna think about school right now. Lol So, the fic's kinda gonna be on about 3rd on the nice, long list of THINGS TO GET DONE, okay? I'm sorry if you have a problem with it, but I haft to maintain almost perfect grades (hey, my worst grade is a 98%, yeah, I know), and that's just one of the biggest things in my life right now. Also, I wanna spend more time with my boyfriend, okay? We're in love, and I just needa spend time with him, okay? I know, a lot of you can't really see it this way, but I can. I need you guys to understand how much I'm trying to get done, and how I'm just trying to relax and enjoy myself, okay?   
.  
Oh, and I just needa clear up the ages for the fic really quick:  
.  
Bulma: 16  
Vegeta: (almost) 17  
Goku: 16  
Chi-Chi: 16 (but like, maybe, 8 months older than Bulma lol)  
Krillin: 17  
Eiteena: 16  
Yamcha: 17   
.  
Any ways, what did you like about the chapter? Love it? Hate it? Well, tell me. REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! lol  
\\m//(-_-)\\m//  
Head-Banger Pride 


	17. Chapter 17: Dancing

Author's Note: Ah...I'm back again! Here you are, Chapter 17.  
.:.  
  
Chapter 17: Dancing  
  
.:.  
  
....It was Alice, his servant.   
  
"Alice...what are you doing here alone in the kitchen at this time of night?" Vegeta whispered into the still air, wondering to himself why the woman seemed to be trembling in his arms.  
  
"I...I...I umm...I couldn't sleep...and I...just...started walking around...and...I'm sorry if I frightened you, Your Highness..." Alice whispered, finally realizing her place as she stepped away from the Prince. The young Prince frowned, wanting to hold her again...he didn't know why, but he just did.  
  
"You seem cold...are you alright?" Vegeta whispered, stepping toward the woman a little. Alice took a deep breath, then let it out slowly...  
  
"I'm fine, Your Highness...I'll go back to my chambers now..." Alice whispered, scurrying out of the room quickly.  
  
Vegeta just stood alone in the darkness, having no idea what just occurred.  
  
.:.  
  
Goku was becoming very disgusted by this flirting fiasco between Yamcha and Eiteena, and his eyes went up to the head table. Soft music began to play in the background, and for some strange and unforseen reason, Goku has a sudden burst of courage...he wanted to ask Chi-Chi to dance. He had no idea where the idea originated from, but he just felt compelled to dance with her. Goku got up from the table, seeing that Chi-Chi was done with her meal. He walked slowly up to the head table, and bowed his head graciously to the young Princess. He gulped as he finally saw Chi-Chi up close...he knew that she was gorgeous, but not stunningly gorgeous. He had the feeling in the pit of his stomach to just run back to his table, but he stayed, mustering up the last courage in his soul.  
  
"M'Lady, would I please have the honor of this dance?" Goku said, his voice staying steady as his heart was beating hundreds of times per minute.  
  
Chi-Chi looked over to Bulma, her eyes wide and then gave her a look, saying, 'I told you so...' and smiled up at the Earl.  
  
"Yes...you may have the honor of this dance." Chi-Chi whispered softly, getting up slowly from her seat and then taking Goku's hand, and they began to dance to the music. It wasn't a slow song, but not exactly a fast song either...Chi-Chi just was ecstatic about the fact that she was just dancing with a man that was gorgeous!  
  
.:.  
Bulma frowned, yet again alone as her older cousin got all the attention and all of the fun. Her eyes wandered over to the young Earl who was flirting shamelessly with the young blonde headed Countess. She began to become in furious with that imbecile! How DARE he flirt with her constantly, but the first slued he sees he goes after? The whole entire meaning of it was just pure insanity! Bulma was classier than this, and she just wanted to leave. She wanted to get AWAY from it all.  
  
As soon as she stepped up from her seat, she felt a person grab her hand. As soon as she turned around, her eyes widened in surprise and glared at the man.   
  
"What do you want?" She said quietly, suggesting her apparent rage for the man in front of her.   
  
Yamcha gave her his simplest grin, putting on his fake adoring eyes for her and whispered tenderly,  
  
"Would you like to dance, Princess Bulma?"   
  
Bulma felt her rage slowly disappear for the man. She felt like she was in quicksand, being taken down too deep, and the more she tried to stop it, the more hopeless it seemed to get out. She sighed, and nodded, allowing the Earl to lead her to the dance floor.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta laid on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. He was still thinking about what had just happened. He didn't really like Alice, did he? Sure, he lov- liked holding her, but that was just because he had been longing for affection for as long as he could remember. Ruubia was the last woman that he had been able to hold, and that was 3 long years ago. He wanted someone to hold, someone to love, someone to take care of...he just had no idea who that was.  
  
Then, all of a sudden, his thoughts wandered to the Blue Maiden. He still had absolutely no idea who she was, still, but he just felt very intrigued by her...maybe just the way that she was so mysterious about everything made his interest rise. He knew how horrible was, to have a drawing to another woman at the time of your betrothal, but it was very accepted in society. His father had had several 'mistresses' over the years that had given born to 4 illegitament children. And that was even WHEN he was married to Vegeta's mother! It was just so sickening how accepted the act was, how sinful. But what really appalled him was that when his Mother finally heard of this, she didn't ever saying anything.  
  
God, the world was just so screwed up. Vegeta felt so alone, so utterly secluded from the rest of reality. Was he the only person that saw common sense to all this shit? He closed his eyes and sighed slowly, then opened them again, getting up slowly and walking down the long and winding corridors that were in the Castilian Fortress.  
  
He looked down the hallways, and then saw light coming from the end. He walked toward it slowly, his footsteps quietly echoing in the darkness. He began to hear music and chatter, laughter sometimes echoing into the mix. He now knew where he was.  
  
He peered into the Grand Ballroom, seeing gorgeous people everywhere. But that woman that was dancing with that ass, Yamcha, she was just the one that caught his eye. But, she seemed somehow familiar...he couldn't remember where, but he kept his eyes on her perfect figure. The question was...  
  
Who was she?  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma smiled a little, getting closer to the Earl as the song slowly died down. She moved up against him as Yamcha started to hold her tighter, and Bulma placed her chin on his shoulder. Her eyes widened as she looked into the doorway outside of the room, a pair of piercing his eyes were staring right at her. She couldn't tell who the man was in the darkness, and she was very intrigued by the, assumed, man. She tried to ignore it, diverting her eyes to Chi-Chi who was sighing happily as Goku was dancing with her. She grinned at Bulma when she saw her looking at her, and then winked. Bulma smiled back, feeling happier than she had felt in a long, long time.  
  
Her eyes though, went back to that pair in the doorway. Who was he?   
  
"Excuse me, Yamcha? I need to go do something really quick, okay? I'll be back." Bulma whispered into his ear, smiling at him and then winking. Her feet moved quickly to the doorframe, and then she looked up and down the hallway.   
  
The person that she had just saw had just disappeared into thin air.   
  
But that wasn't possible, right?   
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: Hey! I'm back, I know, not after a very long break, but it's been a nice break for me. The bad thing is that today I'm faking sick because I'm grounded, maybe for like a month or something, so expect short updates from me here and there, hopefully about the same as usual. Please, though, understand that I'm still having a hard time, and that I'm not even out of school yet. Writing is an outlet for me, and as soon as it becomes a chore, I won't do it anymore, okay? Please, keep my hopes up for this story and review. You guys have NO idea how much it means to me, every single one of your reviews make me happier, bringing a smile to my face. Thank you for everything, and please be patient for the next chapter. It might be a while. 


	18. Chapter 18: Shadows

Author's Note: Guess who's back? Back again? Darkina's back...tell a friend!   
  
No, seriously, tell a friend. I want more reviews, you little bastards! Lol just joking  
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 18: Shadows  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma followed her instincts, and completely forgot about the man that she had left earlier. She curiously moved down the hallways of the fortress. She had no idea where she was planning on going, or why she was going there. She just wanted to find out who was watching her in the shadows.   
  
The Princess slowly walks down the corridors, her footsteps echoing as she listens intently for any sign of movement or life at all. All of a sudden, breaking an unnerving silence bestowed upon the corridor was a squeak, and Bulma jumped at the sound. She shrieked a little, and then only saw a pair of two beady bright green eyes staring up at her. She sighed in relief, it was only a little mouse. She gained back her composure, and then began to walk down the winding hallways once more.  
  
Bulma, then, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. She had no idea what cause her to do so, but then she heard the sound again. There was someone standing very, VERY close to her. She could hear their breathing, and that completely petrified her to stand completely still. She closed her eyes, and inwardly whispered the Lord's Prayer that she had memorized for Mass every Sunday for her entire life, and finally was putting it to good use. She then gulped, and mustered up all the courage she could bare.  
  
"Who are you?" She breathed out, in a raspy and unsure voice. She had the strangest feeling to just run, run away as fast as she could, and never stop running.   
  
"Lady Bulma?" a small voice whispered, seeming to be just as terrified as she was. Bulma turned her head, and then saw a pair of gleaming brown eyes in the darkness.  
  
"Alice...God, you scared me!" Bulma whispered, embracing her and breathing a sigh of relief.  
  
"I'm so sorry, I've scared so many damn people tonight! I just don't know why I've gotten so mysterious all of a sudden." She laughed lightly, and then moved from the Princess' embrace.  
  
"Oh, it's quite alright. I have no idea what got into me, but it's all right now." Bulma whispered to her friend, and then frowned as she saw streaks of water flowing slowly down her cheeks.  
  
"Alice, you're crying!" She whispered, concern in her voice. She hadn't meant to upset her, for God's sake!  
  
"Oh, Lady Bulma, it's quite alright. I just get very emotional at times like these." She whispered, her fingertips going up and removing her tears that were not completely fallen yet.  
  
"Nonsense! You will come with me to my chambers, and we shall talk. I'm Super Bulma, the solver of all problems!" She smiled as she heard Alice laugh.  
  
.:.  
  
"Tell me, Goku, what do you think about Castile?" Chi-Chi asked, placing her head on the Earl's shoulder (A/N: I'm going to put modern dancing in here, because if I put dancing that was in this time period, you guys would all be bored out of your MINDS lol).   
  
"I think it's a very pretty place, but it's not near as pretty as my home in Ephany." He sighed a little, and then pulled away from her a little. Chi-Chi frowned, and then looked up at him.  
  
"Lord Goku, what's wrong?" She whispered, then was lead off the dance floor to the corner of the hall.  
  
"Do you want to know something?" Goku whispered, looking into her eyes genuinely.  
  
"Yes, I guess so. Lord Goku, what is it?" The duchess asked, curiosity and concern beginning to plague her thoughts.  
  
"I hate being away from home. I've never been away from Ephany, never in my whole life. I never knew my father, and was raised by a man named Master Roshi since I was 5. I miss my home, and I want to go back. But I can't, because I haft to stay here and convince your family of my worth, so that I may marry you. But honestly, I just...I just want to go home." Goku said, looking down at the floor, sinking in at his own self pity. He wasn't supposed to ever, EVER open up to a woman like this. But once he started talking, he couldn't stop. She had some kind of hold on him, emotionally and mentally. It was very odd, but he just came to accept it now.  
  
"Oh, well...I'm not keeping you here. I'm sorry about that, Goku, I really am. But it's not my tradition, it's my family's...please don't be upset at us." She whispered, feeling absolutely awful about causing the Earl so much emotional pain.  
  
His eyes went up to meet hers, and he smiled a little.  
  
"No, you are keeping me here, Chi-Chi..." He smiled, and then let his hand go up, cupping her cheek tenderly, caressing it with his thumb.  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma opened the door to her chambers, and then lit her fireplace, the light enveloping the room. She sat down on her bed, and then beckoned Alice to sit next to her.  
  
:Now, come on, Alice...I know that you're upset, so talk to me." She said, trying to comfort her from whatever was wrong.  
  
"Lady Bulma, do you swear that you'll keep a secret?" She said, almost whispering.  
  
"Yes, I swear. Alice, what's wrong?" She said, concern filling her sapphire eyes.   
  
"Lady Bulma...I've committed the worst crime a servant could ever commit..." She whispered, looking down at the stone floor of the castle.  
  
"Oh no...you didn't kill anyone, did you, Alice?" Bulma whispered, trying to grab her attention. Alice laughed a little, and then shook her head 'no'. Bulma sighed a breath of relief, and then whispered,  
  
"What then?"   
  
"I fell in love with Prince Vegeta, Bulma... I feel in love with him years ago, but now that he's here, being inspected to be your husband, it's ripping me apart...I want him to love me, but how could ever love a woman that's been his servant for so many years? How?" She broke out into tears, that eventually turned to sobbing. Bulma wrapped her arms around the woman, and held her in a friendly gesture. She sighed, and then soothingly rubbed her back. (A/N: just in case, BULMA IS NOT A LESBIAN. There, cleared that up)  
  
"Oh, Alice...you committed the worst crime of the heart...to fall in love with someone that may never love you back. I know, I've been there...but you know what? There's always hope! Always hope...never give up on love. Vegeta may love you, you never know." Bulma whispered, trying to comfort her friend.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks Bulma." She smiled, and then gave the Princess a hug, getting off of the huge blue bed and walking out the door, going down the hallways.  
  
.:.  
  
Alice walked down the hall to her room, and then bumped into a figure. She looked up, and was staring at two small onyx eyes, who took her into his arms, placing her up against the wall. She was pinned against it, and then was kissing deeply, passionately. She couldn't tell who the man was, but she had a feeling...  
  
The man broke away from her lips, and then slowly started to kiss down her face, then down her jaw...he paused, and whispered...  
  
"Mmm, Alice...God, how long I've wanted you...how long I've loved you..." he whispered, and Alice's eyes widened. She knew that voice! But, it couldn't be true...   
  
"Alice...please, let me hear your soothing and sensual voice...let me taste your milky skin...let me hold your delicate body...let me love you in all the ways I can..." He whispered, and Alice just felt like melting. She nodded, and began her walk on cloud nine. She didn't know why, or how...but she went with it.  
  
He picked her up into his arms, and walked her down the hallway, opening his chambers and laying her down on his bed.   
  
"Alice...oh, Alice...how I've longed for you..."  
  
The man began to undo her dress, and then he looked into her eyes, as she whispered,  
  
"Oh, Vegeta...how I've longed for you as well..."  
  
.:.   
  
Author's Note: dun dun DUN! Darkina's back, and stunned you all with the ending. I know, I know, I'm a kick ass writer. There is no need for applause, y'all! Just throw money! First of all, I am officially Ungrounded, and I might update another chapter on Memorial Day (5/26/03)! Then, school is officially out on June 6th. So, hopefully, I might be able to finish this fic my the end of the summer. I have NO idea how many chapters this thing is gonna be, but I'm giving it a lot of detail, and it's really fun to write, and I love getting reviews (83 reviews baby!!!!!), and it's just a nice outlet. I'm doing less research, because there's not a lot of information about this time period in this man's life. So, I'm just adding details here where there isn't any historical information that I can place in it. Oh, and the beginning of Chapter 19 is just gonna be AS shocking as chapter 17. So, expect the unexpected, you guys! Wait, is that even possible? Can you technically expect the unexpected? Because if it's unexpected, than it can't be unexpected without not being expected. So, you know what? Just wait around and wait for the next chapter. Lol There we go! I've always gotta be politically correct.   
  
By the way, two people now have guessed correctly who this story is based off of, and I'm not going to give out their email addresses, because I wish to keep this a secret. Any ways...  
  
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	19. Chapter 19: Power

Author's Note: =D hehe  
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 19: Power  
  
.:.  
  
The man looked at Alice through the shadows, his confused eyes searching hers.   
  
"Vegeta? It's Henry, Alice..." he whispered, and then slowly walked down the hallway, disappearing into the dark shadows.  
  
.:.  
  
Henry woke up with a cold sweat, trying to think about his dream, but it was slowly drifting away from him.  
  
"That was odd..." he mumbled to himself, and then rested his head back on his pillow, going back to sleep.  
  
(A/N: BET Y'ALL DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING! BOO-YA! Lol)  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma looked at the hour glass by her window, it was so late! She sighed, and then found herself just wanting to go to sleep. She curled up on her bed, and was just about to close her eyes when she saw a letter was sitting on her desk. She hadn't noticed it earlier that day, but since she was so busy preparing for the ball, she doubted that she would've cared or remembered it any way. She walked over to the desk, and unfolded the parchment with her name inscribed on the outside, in default black ink.   
  
She let her eyes slowly drift across the lines, lingering on a few words here and there, wondering why in the world someone would be saying such charming and interesting things. Her eyes lighted up at the ending, and smiled, loving this little game that her and her friend from England had been playing.  
  
She searched her desk for a quill and a piece of parchment, anxious to write her charming friend back. She pondered what to write, and then let her quill fall...  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta was still walking amongst the corridors and hallways, wandering in his own thoughts, trying to figure out why he went back to the Grand Room so many times, and the music seemed to attract him as he finally was lead there again, for seemingly the thousandth time that night. He peered in, seeing that the woman was gone, and several things caught his eye...  
  
His glance was caught to Eiteena, who was wearing a very low cut dress (A/N: now, remember, this is medieval times, so, low cut would be like, a basic tank top neckline. I just wanted to let you know about that.), practically see through in it's slick. But what even more caught his attention was the fact that she was dancing with Yamcha, whose eyes were glazed over in obvious lust. He rolled his eyes, mumbling to himself about how hormones made the mind and body weak, and how he always controlled his...but then his glance was turned elsewhere, to Lord Krillin. He noticed that he was standing alone in a corner, watching Eiteena very, very closely. He had no idea why he was doing that, but then the obvious was stated in his head: he's attracted to her. He was very displeased with his sudden burst of obvious stupidity, and then thought it might be the air. Then, he saw the most interesting thing of the night...  
  
Earl of Ephany Son Goku and Duchess of Castile Lady Chi-Chi were going outside to the flower garden. He was curious by this, but kept his silence.  
  
.:.  
  
"Hey...umm...Lady Chi-Chi?" Goku whispered, looking at the raven hair duchess, suddenly losing all of the romantic atmosphere that had been being built for the past hour being vanquished in one sentence. Chi-Chi sighed quietly to herself, and then smiled, answering softly,   
  
"Yes?"  
  
Goku gulped, and looked down at his feet, and then mumbled under his breath,  
  
"I haven't ever kissed a woman before..."  
  
Chi-Chi strained her ears, but couldn't hear, asking softly,  
  
"What?"  
  
Goku cleared his throat, and then said louder in a whisper,  
  
"I have not ever kissed a woman before."  
  
Chi-Chi smiled, and then looked into his eyes, giggling a little and then replying back,  
  
"Then, I shall haft to teach you."   
  
Goku looked up, and then smiled. But then, he looked into her eyes genuinely. He was very confused on what to do, and so stated his inquisition very clearly.  
  
"Think that you could tell me what to do, Lady Chi-Chi?" He sweat-dropped (A/N: you knew that I would haft to put SOME anime in here, right? Hehe), and then grinned in stupidity.  
  
Chi-Chi sighed, and then smiled, nodding and giggling a little at how comical the scene must look. Goku, a man that clearly looked like the player stereotype, asking for a woman to tell him how to kiss.  
  
"Well, first of all..." She lingered on, taking his hands in hers, and then placing them both around her waist, silently instructing her to hold her around her waist. She smiled as he did though, giggling at his uncertainty and confusion of the whole ordeal. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and then gazed into his eyes, seeing him to do the same and relaxing as her gaze reached his.  
  
"Now, you just lean down...and place your lips on mine. Your instincts will do the rest, I assure you." She smiled, and looked at him, seeing him start to slowly lean down, agonizing slowly almost.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta was hiding behind a bush, watching the pair and chuckling at the appropriate times. He had very good hearing, and so he heard the whole entire conversation clearly. He watched what Goku was doing, and memories of his kiss with Ruubia came flooding back to him, like an emotional roller coaster that he just couldn't ever get off of. But, can one really ever forget their first love? Oh, sure, first crushes are easily forgotten. But, what of your first kiss? The first time someone ever told them they loved you? Whatever of that? But the question was...would you even want to forget that if you could?  
  
That question was no echoing through the young Prince's head.   
  
.:.  
  
Goku slowly, so slowly placed his lips on hers, tasting her so slowly, so tenderly. The feelings of affection slowly drowned him, immersing him into the unknown of the mysteries of love and hope. He had never felt this way before, and his hold on the woman in his arms was tightened as she licked at his lips slowly. He got confused, and pulled away.  
  
"What was that?" He whispered, his eyebrows furrowed up in confusion.   
  
"That's when I lick your lips. It's the taste of the kiss that us humans love so much. It's addictive." The raven haired duchess stated, looking into the confused Earl's eyes.   
  
"Oh...well, then...I guess I'm already an addict..." Goku smiled, and then pressed his lips to hers once more, this time more passionately...  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta sighed, feeling so alone again, alone inside of his mind, alone psychically, sexually, emotionally, just alone in everything. He was glad, though, that he had that at least, the right to be alone in his mind, he'd become a closed book since Ruubia was taken away from him so long ago. He felt unwanted emotions arise in him once more as he thought of his first love, closing his eyes and then shaking his head, trying to rid of him of a memory that had long plagued him. But, that memory had also kept him sane. Oh, the night when he thought of committing suicide, oh, how that night still plagued him...the night when the world went black. He sighed, and then looked up to the sky. He didn't want to feel alone, he wanted to be loved again. But, the world shunned him. He was always the son of his Father, a shell of expectations and hopes that he just didn't really want to forfil. He didn't want to be the King of England, God damn it! He didn't want to have the world beneath his fingertips! He just wanted to be left alone, not to be expected to do everything that he could never do!  
  
But then, his thoughts starting to reason with his mind again. His deep, deep psychological subconscious had always hungered for power, to show the world that he wasn't going to be his father. He was going to be better than his Father! He would acquire all of the island that was rightfully England's, and would be a greater warrior than the world had ever seen! He was to be the greatest of the English monarchs, and would go down in History as the greatest monarch in the history of England! They all would see his power...they all would regret ever trying to deceive or double cross Vegeta, King of England.  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: Hey! Guess what? It's been a week EXACTLY since the last time I updated! I told you guys to expect the unexpected! Now, come on...I know that some of you thought ALICE would be dreaming. But, what about Henry? Oh, and isn't Henry engaged to Matilda, a servant girl back in England? Then why is he dreaming about making out with Alice? Makes you think, doesn't it? Lol   
  
Any ways, I know that you all love me now! Right now I have 89 REVIEWS!!!! Can you BELIEVE THAT? =D MESA SO HAPPY! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! And, a special thanks to Tenshi Kanashii, I love you, Girl! Thanks for reviewing every single chapter faithfully! =D You guys all kick ass, but you haft to get it, Tenshi Kanashii, she was my first reviewer EVER. I mean like, EVER. #1. I'm dead serious right now. Now, I love you all, but you're all *bleep*ing mad! lol OZZYS THE MAN PEOPLE! DONT BE DISSING METAL STONERS/DRUNKS! lol I know, stupid, stupid...but, you haft to admit it...OZZY ROCKS! Lol  
  
Any ways, thanks for all my reviewers, and thanks for understanding. School is OFFICIALLY out on June 6th. YAY!!!! =D Hopefully I'll get the fic done this summer! =D I probably won't though. At the pace I'm going, I'll be like CAMARO who writes stories for like, 2 years, and STILL is done with them. Btw, CAMARO is one of the best authors ever! She's my second favorite to Shigasu, and she's the author of Dark Angel. So, even though her fic is very different from mine, awesome, awesome read. Check it out! Oh, and...  
  
REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! 


	20. Chapter 20: Gossip

Author's Note: Ahhh...I'm back. Suspense is in the air, have fun reading!   
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 20: Gossip  
  
.:.  
  
Chi-Chi woke up the next morning alone in her bed, yawning and looking out of the window that was directly next to her bed. She smiled as she saw a tiny bird serenading her in the morning light. She rose from her bed, and stretched, as she began her morning routine. She walked over to her vanity, and sat down in the small chair that was in front of the oval mirror. She picked it up her brush, and let it slowly go through her hair once. She saw her dress from the night before lying on her dresser, neatly in a pile. She smiled as memories flooded back to her, of Goku, their slow kiss, and the night that had followed...she giggled as she remembered how unsure the man was.   
  
As she stroked her hair with her brush, she looked to see the door open slowly, a faint voice coming from behind it.  
  
"M'Lady Chi-Chi?" A faint voice whispered, and then she smiled.  
  
"Yes, Mildred?" She said, her smile never vanishing from her lips. A girl that was about 2 years younger than the raven haired duchess stepped behind the door, and presented her with the olive dress made of satin that Bulma had shown her the day before. Oh, how time seemed to go so quickly! She gasped as Mildred presented it to her, up close. The details were incredible and delicate...embedded tiny roses that were in a light lime green were stitched into the hem of the dress. The collar was modest, two small cuffs were by her neck, showing off her gorgeous pale skin. She heard a voice, but didn't understand it, paying no mind to it as she let one hand go over it.  
  
"M'Lady? Would you like to try on the dress? If it does not fit properly, I can go snatch the tayloress if you would like me to." the young girl whispered, looking at her lady.  
  
"Of course..." Chi-Chi rose from her chair, getting behind the dresser's shield that was in her chambers, undressing from the night-gown that she had been wearing the night before. She walked out, and was assisted into the dress by Mildred. She rose her arms as she buttons were done in the back, and then she walked over to her full length mirror. She studied her reflection, and then said simply,  
  
"It looks perfect on me, doesn't it, Mildred?" She didn't even turn her head to acknowledge the girl, and then smiled at her reflection.  
  
"Yes, it does, M'Lady."  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta sat at his desk, reading a book that had long intrigued him. He wasn't a religious man, not at all in the sense of the word, but he had always been curious to what his grandfather read to him on Sundays. The English custom was that when a boy turns to a man at age 15, he is given a bible in which he is to learn and study. But, there was a family Bible, that was to be given to him at the time of his father's death. Then, the cycle would continue. There was a Bible for the boy turning to a man, and a Bible that was for the family. It was very long and tedious, but no one was quite sure how long these Bibles had been in there families, besides a select few. A peasant man in a small village in France said that his family's Bible had been linked back to the times of the first Bibles being printed, over 400 years ago! It was a wild claim, but his father seemed to be intrigued by it. So, the royal 'detectives', as they called themselves, had been investigating the claim for the past 6 months. They all were still waiting for the results.  
  
He let his eyes wander over the endless lines of text, reading of a man that called himself 'Judas', finding all of this information very interesting. He hadn't slept at all the night before, and so he had drowned his weary thoughts into this book. His head snapped up in attention as he heard the door open, looking to it and asking in an annoyed voice,  
  
"Who is it?" He stated, waiting for a reply behind the large oak doors.  
  
"Your Highness...a letter has been delivered. Would you like me to give it to you, My Lord?" A faint voice was heard through the solid oak doors, and Vegeta yelled in reply, so to be clearly heard, you see.  
  
"Come in!"   
  
The doors slowly opened, and a man walked in, holding a piece of folded parchment. Vegeta reached out for it, snatching it from his hands quickly, and then said with his eyes, 'You may leave'. The man quickly scurried out of the room, gulping as he closed the doors slowly.   
  
Vegeta opened the parchment, and smirked as he read the letter...  
  
My Prince,  
  
Ah, so many questions you have! Here is my riddle to answer your questions....  
  
'For rich, for short,  
  
but not that tort  
  
I live in the west,  
  
I bare two breasts  
  
The ladith man that I see,  
  
is who I am meant to be  
  
I live alone in my own head,  
  
dreading all the things he said  
  
I hate the world that is through,  
  
now don't forget...  
  
My name was never Ellanie-Ruu  
  
Now, think about that, your Highness...let your mind flow through the words across this parchment, thinking of all the things that I've given to you. Come on, my Prince, you can't be that thick headed, can you?  
  
Yours in Grace,  
  
The Blue Maiden  
  
Vegeta sat the paper down, looking over it once, twice, three times...he studied it, his eyes flowing across the page, trying to understand the words flowing beneath him. He sighed slowly, and read the letter again...  
  
.:.  
  
Chi-Chi sat down at the table next to her younger friend, smiling as Bulma swallowed a bite of pure white cake.   
  
"Good Afternoon, Chi-Chi. Why are you so late to tea this evening?" Bulma asked, taking a napkin and dabbing her lips.  
  
"I was up late last night...you would not BELIEVE what happened to me after you disappeared!" Chi-Chi whispered, giggling at her girlish thoughts.  
  
"Oh, do tell, Chi-Chi!" Bulma said, scooting closer to her cousin and listening to her closely. She had always had an obsession about making sure that she heard everything.   
  
"Goku and I had some, well, how do you say...alone time?" She smirked, making sure that she put an emphasis on 'alone time'. Bulma's eyes widened in shock, whispering.  
  
"You didn't sleep with him, did you?" Bulma said, her eyes flashing with curiosity.  
  
"No...but we did have a nice, long snogging session on the outside balcony. And you would not BELIEVE what he told me!" She said in a hurried and excited rush, whispering all the while.  
  
"What did he tell you? Does it have anything to do with me?"  
  
"Heavens no, Bulma! But...God, it's so sweet." Chi-Chi blushed a little at the mer thought of it.  
  
"What?!" Bulma said, starting to get annoyed at her games.  
  
"He had never kissed a woman before..." Chi-Chi whispered, and then burst out into a fit of giggles. Bulma put on that famous 'shocked' look, and said plainly,  
  
"No...he's WAY too gorgeous to have not even kissed anyone before!!" Bulma said, speaking in disbelief.  
  
"No, it's true! He had to tell me to teach him how to kiss! It must've been so funny to see. But...he's quite a kisser." Chi-Chi said with a devious grin, winking at her cousin. Bulma laughed and swatted at the raven haired woman sitting beside her.  
  
"Chi-Chi, you devil you!" Bulma said, and then giggled.   
  
.:.  
  
Goku felt uncomfortable in his own shoes, listening to the shorter bald man. He was rambling on about his home land, wealth, and his Father...Goku couldn't take it anymore, and suddenly interrupted.  
  
"Do you like Eiteena?" He asked, oblivious to the instant blush that spread across the older man's face.  
  
"No...I mean...uh...well...wait, what does THAT haft to do with anything?" Krillin put up his defenses, his face bright red, completely humiliated.   
  
"You do, don't you?" Goku placed a sly grin on his face, his eyes shining in obvious amusement with making the man uncomfortable. Krillin coughed.  
  
All Goku did was laugh.   
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: Well, FINALLY, after that HUGE writer's block, I am back. I know, the chapter did provide that much detail, but I just NEEDED to end the ball! I mean, can a ball seriously last for like, 4 chapters? I know that it was interesting, yes, but honestly...4 chapters?! Weirdness. Any ways, for all of you that have been reviewing, I really appreciate it. And I mean, REALLY appreciate it. That's why, I'm going to reply to all of those reviews that I love SOOOOO much. Thanks, and I won't be offended at all if you guys just wanna not read this. It's not that big of a deal.   
  
DarkSayJinGoddess: Thanks for the review! Your story is very interesting, and I really enjoyed it. You can IM me on AOL sometime. My s/n is XxBlack KodoKuxX. =D  
  
outtadalop: Weird, I only got one review from you. Any ways, we'll just haft to wait and see what happens to Vegeta and Bulma, hmmm?  
  
Gotenfan18: I plan on keeping this story going, thank you. Lol  
  
SaiyanGal: I know, the suspense always keeps things interesting. It's just what I think lacks in a lot of stories, the suspense drives people to stay interested. It's very weird, but that's what I like to do. I love to keep people deeply immersed in my ideas. My goal for this fic was to make sure that you actually thought about it, even whenever you weren't reading it! That's just always been my goal.  
  
Tenshi Kanashii: Just so you know, Henry is pronounced in either ways. It depends on where he is in the story. But, I always thought Hen-ree. But, hey, it's all up to you! =D  
  
Nicka: You obviously must not know that much about medieval royal families, because they were notorious for betrayal and affairs, scandal and controversy. It's just how it's always been, I would definately suggest possibly some research? But hey, I'm just one of those people. Lol  
  
Well, that's the end...of the reviews. Lol Don't worry, I'm keeping this story going. But, I'm already starting to think of maybe having a sequel. Maybe. But hey, it's all up to you guys! Tell me what you think! I wanna know...honestly. Lol Now you know what to do...  
  
REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! REVIEW!!! 


	21. Chapter 21: Games

Author's Note: I know, it's been a while, but I'm back. Thanks for listening, and read on, my happy friends! =D  
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 21: Games  
  
.:.  
  
"Bulma...what do you think about maybe having a charade ball?" Chi-Chi asked, sitting side-saddle on Violet, her make-shift horse. She missed Helena, her palomino quarter horse at her home in the southern part of Castile. The onyx haired duchess was considered quite the belle, just to be modest. When she was born, she was the most sought after baby to betrothed to. Her father had always been quite a block head, but he had died tragically, leaving Ferdinand, his brother-in-law, the only suitable ruler of Castile. So, at one time, the woman sitting proud in her milky cream day-gown had actually been in the exact position of her aqua cousin, Bulma. True, her father had lost the throne when she was 3, but she had experienced it. The mother of the raven fiery woman had wed very shortly after the death of her late-husband, it had never been practical for a woman to be alone with so much money. So, her step-father, who was incredibly nice, had always been considered to Chi- Chi her real father.   
  
"Why? I always enjoy formal, classic balls. Why should we go with a new trend that's recently been discovered in France?" Bulma said, almost in a snooty tone. She had never really liked the french at all, for anything besides their wine.  
  
"I don't know...it just seems so, exciting. They wear masks, you never know who you have an attraction to until midnight, when the masks are to be taken off. I think it would be a marvelous idea, and you know that maybe you could jump on the band-wagon for once? Hmmm?" Chi-Chi said, smirking at her cousin's want, almost need, to be 'independent' and an 'individual'.   
  
"Well..." Bulma began to draw off, then sighed, nodding her head in approval. She had to give in, Chi-Chi was a very persistent individual.   
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta just lay in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. He wanted to sleep, but somehow his mind was plagued of memories of Eiteena. He just wanted to wash her out of his head completely, not ever thinking about her again. But...there she was, her raven hair cascading down her back, her lips slightly parted in an affectionate smile. She was so soft, so smooth...the young Prince could still taste her lips, could still feel her milky white skin beneath his fingertips...   
  
'No! I can't think like this!' Vegeta said, getting off of his bed, and storming down the hallway and gazing into the darkness. He walked slowly, trying to remember why he had left the room in the first place. He simply followed his feet through the castle, and ended up in front of a tall doorway, and he placed his hand on it, pushing it open and slowly peering into the shadowy essence of the place. He stepped into the unfamiliar surroundings, and saw a spiral ascending staircase. He obviously had by now figured out that this was a tower, and he took one, hasty step up the stairway. The stone steps echoed through the hollow place, his boots clicking in the darkness. Vegeta became uneasy, almost anxious to reach the top of this...place. He then saw a slither of moonlight, and began to go up the steps more quickly, then stepped through the door to see a shadowy figure standing on the balcony...  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma was so alone, so upset in the world. She couldn't figure out her emotions right then, she was just so tired of being the only person that felt this way. She lay awake in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, tears almost welling up in her eyes. It wasn't like she was crying over anything or anyone in particular...well, maybe about how Yamcha had repeatedly avoided her for the past month. They had danced at the coronation ball once, just once, then Bulma was overwhelmed by her curiosity and just had to go and see what it was. How could've she been so stupid? Yamcha was dancing with HER, and she had to go and offend him, leaving him in the ballroom alone with no one else to dance with.  
  
Bulma got sick of staring into darkness and got out of her bed, opening her door quietly and walking down the corridor up to the tower. She knew it wasn't a good thing to do this, because she had been told her life that if she walked around at night, she might raped or killed. There were so many places to hide in the huge Castile Fortress, she could easily be done these things. But, she didn't really care about that as she started to climb the steps up the raven tower. She smiled as she saw the moon, looking up at it as she walked over to the side, sitting on one of the blocks that were the edge of the surrounding wall. This tower was the tallest in the castle, probably somewhere around 200 feet down would be her fall. But, she had always been lucky enough to ever be sent such a fate.  
  
Bulma was tired, tired of being alone, tired of being the last person that was cared for. She was bored, not challenged and her brilliance was never tested anymore. When she was a child she was dubbed a scientific genius, but her status had always shunned her from trying. Her father had secretly for years helped his daughter be educated in the arts of science, the world would be appalled if the young woman was actually educated. The thought of women in the higher stature of the world was that they were tools, used only to produce fortunes and heirs. That is, if they actually had status. If you were a peasant woman in the royal household in any monarchy in the world was to be a whore, it wasn't a choice. You were bed by any man that was above you, it was just an accepted fact. Then if the poor virgin was found out to be pregnant, she would be called a 'whore' and kicked out of the castle, her reputation destroyed. Then a new young virgin girl would take her place, and the cycle would repeat itself.  
  
Bulma was so sick of being neglected. Sick of being thought only as a tool, not even a person. She was alone. Completely alone. No one loved her. She was worthless. Not even worth her own father's time anymore. The world was too much, way too much. She felt like dying, she was dying inside of herself. She wanted to jump over the side, falling down, father...faster...getting rid of this pain inside of herself. She started to let her tears fall down her cheeks, crying in silence as she stood, looking over the side. She felt so sad, so depressed, so alone. She didn't want to take it anymore. The world was too hard. She wanted to jump, but then she heard the door creak open behind her. Her head snapped in the direction of the noise, and stared intently into the black shroud of darkness. Then she saw a faint outline of a man.  
  
"Who are you?" She whispered fearfully in the night air, her brain reminding her of all the times her mother had warned her of men that would try to take advantage of her at night. She started to subconsciously back away, terrified as her imagination was going in circles, making worse and worse situations of this thing in front of her. She was in such deep crap mentally that it was terrifying her.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta smirked at how scared she seemed, wanting to just do so many horrible and wretched things to the petrified woman in front of him, but he wasn't in the mood to be too evil...  
  
"The real question is, M'Lady, who are you?" Vegeta almost growled into the darkness, smirking as he could practically feel the fear surrounding her shaking form. He had always taken great, great pleasure of just scaring people. He would never, ever strike a woman with his own hand, and he just fed off of the energy that he got from just...scaring people. He saw her tremble, and she knew she was thinking about how she could get out of this. She wanted to leave, she wanted to just run away. He could tell this by her reaction, but he couldn't tell of who she really was. She was a mysterious woman, she was.   
  
.:.  
  
Bulma just started contemplating so many different ways to get out of this situation, and just started to come up with a way to maybe get away.  
  
"Sir?" She whispered in the stillness, but she knew that he could hear her clearly. The night air was a deafening quiet, and their voices carried by the slightest and quietest syllable. He did not reply, and she continued with her nieve plan to escape from the terror that was a mystery, but that mystery made her very, very uneasy.  
  
"Could I please be pardoned from your presence? I had no idea that you would be here at night, and I was wondering if I could please, please return to my chambers in the castle? If you wish for this meeting to be kept a secret, I will not tell a soul of this meeting in the darkness of this night. Please sir, would you consider this word of action?" She said, closing her eyes and letting one final tear slip down her cheek.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta pondered this, and then smirked at her plan. He decieded out of the very, very last shred of dignity and decency to let himself go about this plan innocently.  
  
"Yes, I guess you shall be permitted to. But, my dear, you must not speak to anyone about this, or you shall surely regret it, Miss." Vegeta said smoothly, but almost coldly. He wanted to go across as cold-hearted, but also merciful.   
  
.:.   
  
Bulma smiled in her wonderful state of inward joy, knowing that the danger had passed. She hurried past the man, but got a small glimpse of his eyes...she had never seen such eyes blend into the darkness as his did before. It was very puzzling, and this night would be forever etched into her memory.  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: I know, I know, I took FOREVER to write this. But, was it worth it? Vegeta and Bulma FINALLY got a glimpse of each other, and conversed...but neither of them know who the other is. XD DUN DUN DUN! For all Bulma knows it might be some kind of serial rapist or something that got into the castle. I know, I'm evil! I just needed to keep the suspense up, and I will NOT answering the question 'Is Bulma the Blue Maiden or not?' until the very, VERY last chapter. Yes, ladies and gentleman, I'm making this story go out with a BANG. HELL YEAH. But we're not nearly to the end. =D I think at the rate I'm going now it'll be at least maybe 40 chapters long. Lol Yeah, long time for me to write, but I'll finish this story. I promise. And if I don't finish it, or I let it set for at least a month, just email me and complain. My Email is - hard_rocker119@yahoo.com, and that's also the place where you either post your email address in a review and ask to be on the update list, or you can just send me a 'hey, what's up?' kind of thing. Thanks for reading, and please review. I have 106 reviews you guys! =D I'm so happy. Thanks to you guys.   
  
REVIEW!!!! REVIEW!!!! REVIEW!!!! 


	22. Chapter 22: Hidden

Author's Note: Ahh....ONWARD TO CHAPTER 22!  
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 22: Hidden   
  
.:.  
  
"Do I look fat in this gown?" Bulma pouted in at her reflection, in her chambers she and Chi-Chi were deciding what to wear to the charade ball in only a week's time. Bulma was trying on a long and fitting milky white gown, a gown she had been eyeing for quite a while in the markets. She had finally convinced her Father to let her go on a little bit of a shopping spree with her Mother. Bunyae of course was very lenient about her clothing choices, and she absolutely loved that fact about her very gullible mother. She just had gone all out, and Chi-Chi had chosen her gown quite a while ago. Bulma had been wearing so much blue lately that she decided on a dark navy gown, a square neckline and a fairly high collar. She had several adjustments down to it, just so it was to her liking. You see, Chi-Chi and Goku had since had no interaction since the coronation ball. Chi-Chi had been very anxious to see him again, the clumsy and adorable Earl had caught her eye. She had to say, she was very smitten with the man.  
  
"No, of course you're not! Lord, why must you be so vane?" Chi-Chi smirked, rolling her eyes and then sighing slowly, wanting to be back in that man's tender embrace. To think, the coronation ball had been two months ago. She felt so alone, yearning for the man's embrace...  
  
"Because I'm a princess, and of course you know that image is everything when you're a lady and so damn high up in society." She frowned, being reminded once again what she was to the world; a tool. A rag doll that could be disposed at any man's desire, just because of who she was. It was so unfair, so wrong how women were treated. It was so depressing, so utterly depressing.  
  
"Any ways...my wise, old, wrinkly cousin..." She smiled as Chi-Chi glared at her reflection but continued at her comment, "Has that stupid fool of yours been following you around like a lost squirrel?" She giggled a little at the faintest hint of a blush on Chi-Chi's cheeks, and that blush was very, very difficult to accomplish with her firm and straight-faced relative.   
  
"Actually...no, he hasn't. I haven't seen him since the coronation ball..." She sighed, reclining more into the back of her chair. She was getting depressed again.  
  
"Really? Where's my cousin that never would rely on a man, who would never let him control her emotions? Who are you and what have you done with my feisty Chi-Chi of Castile?" Bulma smirked, grinning at Chi-Chi as she stepped out of her gown. Chi-Chi threw a pillow off Bulma's near-by bed and it hit Bulma square on the head. She laughed and then a pillow fight commenced.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta was training by himself hard, working out by sword practicing with his squire, Henry. He smirked as he once again defeated the man, the tip of his sword squared onto his throat. Henry smiled as Vegeta placed an arm out to help him up, and he took it.   
  
"You know...you really should go to the charade tonight." Henry said, once again collecting his breath as Vegeta studied his reflection in the very sharp and polished blade. The blade in which he had never taken a life, just once he felt like he was actually better than his Father. A rare emotion indeed. Vegeta's head snapped to attention, and glared at his servant.  
  
"Why in the hell should I go to a social event?" He asked, wondering why his servant would ask such a stupid question.  
  
"It's your birthday, though, your 17th birthday." Henry pleaded, he had seen his master's violent acts dramatically rise, as well as the shortness of his temper. He was deliberately asked by the Queen to make sure that he didn't become homocidical like he sometimes became with long period of time passing between him not being at home. His siblings deeply relaxed him, and he became more and more murderous when that support system vanished into nothing.  
  
"Yeah, like anyone would notice." Vegeta gained a short epiphany from this, he wanted to go home. Just plain and simple. His mother always had payed attention to him, and he had always been the center of it on his birthday. His father sometimes was actually civil and a half decent father on his birthday. He had constantly though not expected much from his Father, people had always made excuses for his absences in the young Prince's life. He deserved a better father, and he had always been envious of the peasant's families. They all seemed to actually care about each other. But then, once again, he was reminded of one thing: they had no money. Money was the cure of all problems and evils. Or was it?  
  
"Hey, I bet you that you couldn't last a minute around the gorgeous women of Castile. You'd get too chicken!" Henry said, turning this into a challenge for the Prince. He knew he could be killed by the future monarch's hand by challenging his authority, but he knew the prince well enough to know that he wouldn't kill his only companion in the world.   
  
.:.  
  
"Why am I even here?" Vegeta asked to no one in particular, sitting down at the high part of the table at the end since he was a guest, staring down at his pork chops and potatoes. He took his glass full of wine to his lips, tasting it and nodding slightly in satisfaction. The wine was not too bitter, but not too sweet. Definitely a fine year for the brew. But, he was sitting there in his navy and black formal tunic, and he was extremely bored. The King of Castile, Ferdinand, was making a speech to new times and celebration. What in the hell was there to celebrate? He was over 150 miles from home (A/N: That back then was about a week's journey if you ran a horse full blown at top speed). His face was shrouded in a mask, a simple black mask that only let his onyx eyes shine through. He seemed very bored, and then looked down the royal table to see two women chattering and laughing amongst themselves. The Castilean Royal Family had always known how to throw a party, and this night was no exception. His eyes and attention wandered to the new monarch of the southern part of Spain, listening to the obvious finale of his grand speech.  
  
"Now, without further adieu my Lords and My Ladies," He for a moment paused by bowing his head in a polite gesture, "Let us eat and be merry! Tonight is a night of celebration of embracing peace and new found freedom!" Ferdinand rose his glass high in the air to signify the end of his toast, and he heard several men reply in hearty 'here here!'s across the grand dinning room. The ceilings were elaborately painted for very special occasions, and tonight was definitely in that category. His daughter had requested a charade to...what did she say again? To welcome new cultures, of course! The room instantly filled with mindless chatter about politics with men, or battle scars or just simple flirtations with the other women at the tables. Vegeta was bored of his mind, but he began to eat, since no other activity really interested him at the moment. The world was so pathetically dull at times, he had just been so fed up with it. Then a soft tune caught his attention, it was a man playing a fife* to entertain the royal table, and yet again the two women's sweet laughter carried to his ears. He had no idea who they were, he couldn't tell anything at all about them, he could just hear them. It was very odd, but then he just took another bite out of his porkchop and got another hearty scoop in his spoon for his potatoes. The feast was very enjoyable, and the food was not actually half bad. He suspected that Alice had definitely helped prepare the grand meal, but of course she would. She was somewhat of a maid/cook/nanny to him in his family's fortress in England, but he didn't want to think about home now. It just made him feel horrible and very homesick inside.  
  
.:.  
  
"You were right, Chi-Chi! This was an excellent idea!" Bulma said, sitting down on a chair which her cousin quickly occupied. Chi-Chi then smirked and asked,  
  
"Could you please repeat that again, 'You were right, Chi-Chi'? That just sounds so amazing coming from the lips of a genius, and I want to savor this moment of me being correct and your denial of this whole plan was wrong." Chi-Chi then became very dramatic and slumped back in her chair, and seemingly very content. The raven haired duchess ignored her cousin's angry snap at her comment as her eyes diverted and met with a man's across the room. She recognized those eyes immediately and grinned ear to ear as the man winked at her, and then she finally acknowledged her cousin's rambling to get her attention.  
  
"Chi-Chi? Hello?" Bulma said, poking Chi-Chi several times in the arm, quite hard, actually, before she responded.  
  
"WHAT?!" She whispered fairly loudly, her eyes becoming agitated and almost full of fire for her younger cousin for so rudely interrupting her quite intimate moment with her charming Earl. But was he even hers yet?  
  
"I was just saying that I haven't seen Yamcha here! Where on EARTH could that man be? I practically planned this whole entire charade just to have a chance to dance with him, and if he's not here, then WHY DID I PLAN IT?!" She whispered in a rush the last clause of her statement, and then pouted in her aggravation.   
  
"Oh, stop acting so pathetic! You look GORGEOUS Bulma, and there are at least 30 men here that would happily dance with you! Don't get so down over one stupid man that doesn't see a gorgeous woman right in front of his nose! The stupid Duke doesn't deserve you, and you shouldn't haft to rely on one man to have a good time! Now, who do you want to dance with?" Chi-Chi said in assurance, trying to calm her down. Bulma's eyes scanned the grand room as she listed what she was looking for.  
  
"He hast to be fairly tall, handsome, of course, and maybe something...different, about him." Bulma said, and then her eyes stopped on one man that was sitting at the end of the royal table, looking bored out of his mind and then Bulma smirked, thinking of this man as a challenge.  
  
"I bet you a triple chocolate cookie that I will dance with that man," She motioned towards the mysterious man in navy and black with her fan, "By midnight."   
  
Chi-Chi smiled, rolling her eyes at her cousin's obvious innocent and nieve challenge, but then gave in.  
  
"Okay, the bet is yours."  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta's eyes were wandering from one woman to the next on the dance floor, it was fairly full by now. All of the women being spun and twirled by the suitors were almost all beautiful, but none was truly exquisite. But, how could one tell, since their masks were covering their most important part of their appearance? The question begged to differ in the young prince's mind, and then he saw a woman in a pale, light blue satin dress came over to him, and said a simple statement...  
  
"Would you please be my escort for the next dance?"  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: dun Dun DUN!!!! XD So evil, so evil, I know. But the thing is, It only took me 15 days to write this, and I'm getting quite proud of myself. I mean, I know that I couldn't just sit down and write a 2000 word chapter in a day, but I really am trying. What did you all think about this chapter? Was is it too OCC? And I'm going to try to involve you, the readers, more in the writing of my story. Sure, smaller details, but honestly. You guys are basically the ONLY reason why I keep writing this story, and every time I do write another chapter or a part of one...it's like therapy. I feel like, I'm giving away a tiny part of my soul with every single word you read. I know, I know, I'm starting to sound like some kind of 'Hummmmmmmmmmm...' monk or whatever, but it really is true. XD So, the question for the poll this time is...  
  
1) Should the title of the sequel be...  
  
A) Longshanks and the Blue Maiden: The Sequel  
  
B) Castilia and the Arrogant Crusader   
  
C) Poison and the Long Journey   
  
  
  
Thanks! And, always remember that you can email me at :  
  
hard_rocker119@yahoo.com  
  
If you want to be on the update list, or just put your email in a review, and I'll put you on. =D Thanks for reading you guys, and have fun! =D 


	23. Chapter 23: Suspicions

Author's Note: I'm back! Go right ahead, read on!  
  
.:.  
  
Chapter 23: Suspicions   
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta's eyes were wandering from one woman to the next on the dance floor, it was fairly full by now. All of the women being spun and twirled by the suitors were almost all beautiful, but none was truly exquisite. But, how could one tell, since their masks were covering their most important part of their appearance? The question begged to differ in the young prince's mind, and then he saw a woman in a pale, light blue satin dress came over to him, and said a simple statement... "Would you please be my escort for the next dance?"   
  
.:.  
  
....Vegeta had a thousand thoughts going through his head, then sighed and smirked, nodding his head,   
  
"It would be a pleasure, fair maiden." He then got around from the table, and as custom was followed, bowed to her and she curtsied in return. Then his eyes rose to hers, taking her hand in his and then took her into his arms, slowly waltzing, neither of them speaking a word, and then Bulma whispered,  
  
"I have not seen you before at the castle, are you a guest in my father's house?" Bulma said, her eyes looking into his deep onyx ones behind his mask.  
  
"Yes, I am...I am here to court a specific female of the Castilean, now Royal, Family. I though, assure you, M'Lady, I am not simply here for a good lay, much unlike the Duke of Bruce." The young Prince's eyes wavered over to Yamcha, who was shamelessly flirting with a red headed maid. Bulma's eyes narrowed, glaring up first at the masked man, and then to Yamcha, after viewing what he was doing, she gasped. Then, it was time for the Princess to smirk, and then moved more up against the masked man, placing her head on his shoulder...  
  
"Oh, but of course, good Sir, I know that...but, you could always go for a little test drive with me, the women of this house have been famous for being great lovers..." She moved her lips up, suggestively blowing in the mysterious man's ear. The young prince involuntarily shivered at this, started to feel the air around them grow hotter.  
  
.:.  
  
Chi-Chi smiled as she saw her Earl's eyes waver to hers across the room, smiling as he arose and began to walk toward her. He bumped into a guest and the raven haired duchess laughed lightly at this, then she smiled as he approached the table, bowing to her.   
  
"Could I please have this dance with the fairest maiden in this hall?" The man with tall, messy hair smiled at her, and Chi-Chi laughed, smiling up at him, moving around the end of the table, curtsying to him, and then said simply,  
  
"Of course you may."  
  
Then the couple embraced, waltzing about on the dance floor. Chi-Chi felt like she was on cloud nine, floating across the dance floor. She was hypnotized by the man that was in front of her, her eyes glued to his. As the dance ended, the masked man in orange lead our lady to the patio (A/N: like an outdoor pavilion or something). There were lanterns and torches every where in the gardens that were carefully tended to. She smiled as her masked warrior lead her to a small bench, and then he wrapped his arms around her, holding her loosely, but tenderly.   
  
"I've missed you, my duchess..." He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly, pressing his cheek to hers.  
  
"I've missed you too, my earl..." Her face turned and pressed her lips to his tenderly, but letting the kiss be short, gasping at what she saw as she pulled away from the kiss.   
  
"...Look behind you." She whispered hurriedly to the earl sitting beside her, and he turned his head. His eyes widened, and then kind of shrugged it off.  
  
"It has nothing to do with us, that stupid Duke can mess up his OWN life." He tightened his hold around the maiden in his arms.  
  
"Bulma will be mortified! She's been attracted to that...that....BASTARD since she first saw him! I HAFT to tell her that her little...CRUSH is touching Eiteena's BOUSSUM up against a wall!!" Chi-Chi said, rushing into the grand hall, with Goku in tow.  
  
.:.  
  
Vegeta was enjoying his flirting-feast with this beautiful maiden in his arms, suggestive actions being exchanged and flashes of fire being sparked in each other's eyes. The young prince was getting very turned on, he hadn't ever been THIS aroused since he was with Ruubia. Ruubia...Vegeta shook his head and rid himself of her in his thoughts.  
  
"Are you okay, good sir?" The maiden asked in a concerned voice, and before he could respond, a woman in a dark olive colored gown was whispering into her ear in an eager expression on her face, and the woman whined in protest, but she still reluctantly went with him. A man with messy hair was followed by him, and then the Prince of England smirked, noticing the man's hair. He new exactly who it was; it was that ridiculously stupid Earl of Ephany that he had became somewhat found of. They walked off the dance floor and the Prince engaged in a conversation with the man.  
  
"Do you have any idea what is going on here?" He questioned the man in front of him.  
  
"Yeah, apparently the woman you were dancing with has a infatuation with Yamcha of Bruce. He was basically in foreplay up against the castle wall outside with Eiteena of Boreadaux, so...I guess that the woman I was dancing with has a duty or something to tell her this information." The man answered, then added in a lower tone,  
  
"It looked like, though, she was getting over that infatuation by the looks of it with you," Goku smirked, then the prince nodded in approval, a sly look on his face.  
  
"She definitely is a woman." Vegeta said, nodding in approval.  
  
.:.  
  
Bulma had small tears in the corners of her eyes, saying,  
  
"What? How could he do this to me? I thought we had something going!" She said, then placed her head in her hands and just cried silently. Chi-Chi offered comfort to the woman.  
  
"It's okay, shh...it's okay, Bulma. Everything will be okay. How about we go get those triple chocolate chip cookies?" Chi-Chi said, teasing and enticing Bulma with food. She laughed lightly, nodded and began the long stroll through the maze of corridors through the fortress that she called 'home'.  
  
.:.  
  
"I miss Goku, Bulma. Why is that?" Chi-Chi said as she and her younger cousin strolled through the garden.   
  
"I don't know, maybe because you...love...him?" Bulma looked over suspiciously at her older cousin, and Chi-Chi's eyes widened.  
  
"Oh, don't be hitting me with the 'l' word. I don't think I could love the man after 3 dances and 2 kisses. Come on, Bulma, there's GOT to be more than that!" Chi-Chi said, sitting down on another stone bench, continuing on with her reassuring-ramblings,  
  
"I mean, it can't be. I've never been in love before and I mean, it can't be just THIS easy. How could someone fall in love so quickly?" Chi-Chi said, sighing and becoming frustrated with herself. It couldn't be this easy to love someone, right?  
  
.:.  
  
"Argh!" Krillin screamed, slashing and beating a fake dummy of a human, taking out all of his anger and his sadness. He had heard about the night of the charade, and how Eiteena and Yamcha got a little close...he had felt a connection with her; he was deeply attracted to her as well. He ran through the field in his full armor, training until his arms wouldn't raise any longer.   
  
He screamed and slashed, working harder and faster. Then, all of a sudden...he saw her. Eiteena was standing there, in a beautiful gown, crying. Krillin stopped immeaditely what he was doing and rushed over to her, as was it customary, and helped her down on the ground.  
  
"What's wrong?" Krillin sighed. Then, all of a sudden, the blonde haired goddess moved her head down onto his shoulder, sobbing in disbelief of...something.  
  
"What's wrong, M'Lady?" She cried more, moving more up against him, into his embrace. She sniffed, and then looked up into his eyes, saying softly,...  
  
"Yamcha...tried to rape...me..."  
  
.:.  
  
Author's Note: dun Dun DUN!!! I am so sorry about that, how long it took me to write this chapter. I'm having writer's block, I NEED IDEAS. Tell me where you want this story to go. I'm starting to think that I'm making a soap opera here. Lol Talk to me, people! 


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